“This is innovation grounded in real community need.”
Cyclone Gabrielle left more than 600,000 cubic metres of woody debris across Tairāwhiti’s catchments, the council said in a media release.
“Rather than relying solely on crews on the ground, the council’s recovery team used AI-assisted aerial mapping to scan river systems and identify debris hotspots.”
The system detected logs over 2m long, mapped accumulation zones and highlighted high-risk areas. The information was then combined with a multi-criteria framework that considered -
- Proximity to homes, roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure
- Population density and community use
- Cultural and community assets
- Environmental and ecological sensitivities
“This transparent, evidence-based approach allowed the council to prioritise the highest-risk areas first and direct funding where it would have the greatest impact.
“The result was more than $1 million in cost savings, faster and more targeted removal and a reusable dataset to support future flood modelling, forestry planning and river management.”
Recovery manager Naomi Whitewood said the project was “a powerful example of technology backing up local knowledge”.
“Our communities have lived with the impacts of woody debris for years. We knew where the pressure points were, but we didn’t always have the data to match our lived experience,” Whitewood said.
“The AI mapping has changed that. It gives us a clear picture of where the biggest risks are, so we can act faster, justify our decisions and make every recovery dollar work harder.”
“What we’ve built here isn’t just a one-off fix for Gabrielle. It’s a set of tools and methods that can be used again and again – in Tairāwhiti and across the motu – to reduce risk, protect communities and support better land use decisions.”
When Cyclone Gabrielle damaged the region’s main water pipe, Tairāwhiti faced severe water shortages.
In response, the Tairāwhiti Emergency Management Office (TEMO) partnered with Australian firm LEDI to develop portable water treatment units – a first of its kind in New Zealand.
Using reverse osmosis and UV sterilisation, the units can turn seawater or contaminated water into safe drinking water.
The two units – the AquaGen, a suitcase-sized model that can supply around 300 people a day, and the Garrison, a 300kg unit that can supply drinking water for more than 3000 people a day – are modular and easily transported by 4WD utes and light helicopters.
“This innovation reduces reliance on bottled water, cuts cost and waste and significantly boosts resilience for Tairāwhiti communities in future emergencies,” the council release said.
Tairāwhiti Civil Defence Emergency Management group manager Ben Green said the award recognised the region’s determination to turn crisis into long-term resilience.
“After Gabrielle, we knew we couldn’t be that close to running out of safe drinking water ever again.
“These units give us options we simply didn’t have before. We can get safe water to isolated communities quickly, even if the main pipe is out.
“It’s a practical solution that has been designed around Tairāwhiti conditions and it will keep paying dividends in future emergencies.”
Green said having two projects recognised at a national level showed the strength of local collaboration.
“These awards acknowledge not just the technology, but the teamwork – from our staff and contractors to iwi, landowners and community partners. When we combine local knowledge with innovative tools, we can punch well above our weight as a small region.”
ALGIM is a national organisation supporting councils across Aotearoa with professional development and leadership in technology and information management.
Its annual awards “celebrate local government projects that use innovation to deliver smarter, better outcomes for communities”.
