Prime Minister Christopher Luxon cuts the ribbon to officially open Te Waihekeora water storage dam at Te Kopuru, south of Dargaville, with (from left) Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust trustees Kathryn de Bruin, Dover Samuels, Regional Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones (at rear) and trust chair Murray McCully. Photo / Susan Botting
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon cuts the ribbon to officially open Te Waihekeora water storage dam at Te Kopuru, south of Dargaville, with (from left) Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust trustees Kathryn de Bruin, Dover Samuels, Regional Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones (at rear) and trust chair Murray McCully. Photo / Susan Botting
Kaipara’s new Te Waihekeora reservoir was officially opened today by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
The facility is tipped to revive Northland’s economy and save Dargaville from its water woes.
The 3.3 million cubic metre reservoir sits near Te Kopuru on the often drought-ridden Pouto Peninsula south of Dargaville.
The reservoir– owned by Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust – could triple the supply of irrigation water to local horticulture.
Luxon said getting major infrastructure into rural New Zealand was important to boost the economy.
Te Waihekeora was largely built with a $35 million loan from Kānoa – the Government’s regional development unit – and a further debt arrangement with Northland Regional Council.
Christopher Luxon spoke at the opening of Northland's newest water storage dam, near Te Kopuru, about its benefits. Photo / Susan Botting
The Kaipara District Council (KDC) also put $1.5m into the project in April, with more promised, while $750,000 of additional funding comes from irrigation water-use share purchasers.
Te Waihekeora is projected to create 440 new jobs.
Luxon said those behind the reservoir had overcome huge odds to bring the water storage dream to life.
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones said it was now up to the people of Kaipara and Northland to realise the opportunity created by the reservoir.
He said plenty of regions in New Zealand were envious of a project such as Te Waihekeora, with its significant Government funding.
Joint government, councils and water use irrigation shareholder money has gone into creating Te Waihekeora, which is set to revolutionise Kaipara and Northland's future. Photo / Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust
Jones said there were already early examples of water storage having positive effects, citing reservoirs put in during the Muldoon era near Kerikeri that he said had led to that settlement’s creation.
He said the trust’s Matawii had already revolutionised primary industry in the mid North.
Te Waihekeora was a testament to what could be achieved by everybody working together.
Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust chair Murray McCully said Te Waihekora’s establishment over five years from its beginnings through planning and consenting was an example of dogged determination.
Brothers Mark (left) and Lance McGee built Te Waihekeora over three years from 2022, with a 90-tonne digger on a wide track brought in specially to assist. Photo / Susan Botting
It was a catalyst for higher-value land use and more jobs.
Northland Regional Council chair Geoff Crawford said Te Waihekeora would unlock land-use potential.
Avocado orchard development with Te Uri o Hau and Maunu’s Lynwood Nurseries is already under way near Te Waihekeora.
The Steininger family – (from left) Guenter, 7-year-old Leana, and Ivy – live next to Te Waihekeora and enjoy watching the growing number of birds that use the dam. Photo / Susan Botting
Redhill farmers Bruce and Rosie Sanford were among those at the opening. They bought shares to take Te Waihekeora water in 2022 to use on their farm and for an investment.
“It was an opportunity to create the opportunity for multiple land uses,” Rosie Sanford said.
The Sanfords will be using the dam’s water to irrigate their coming season’s maize crop.
Pipeline coming
Te Waihekeora has kick-started an ambitious multimillion-dollar project aimed at addressing Dargaville’s water resilience.
Government funding for a 22km pipeline to get Te Waihekeora water to the town has been part of bringing this project to life.
The pipeline comes with building a 3.5m stopbank along much of the Northern Wairoa River between Te Kopuru and Dargaville.
The pipeline is headed towards eastern Dargaville’s Awakino to reach Silver Fern Farms meatworks.
It’s expected the factory will want to take Te Waihekeora water, which is untreated and not used for drinking water.
This is expected to free up 20% of Dargaville’s current treated town drinking water supply.
The new pipe is expected to reach the meatworks in about two years.
But it doesn’t link into Dargaville’s town drinking water supply plant.
There are three potential routes for the pipeline, including it crossing the giant Northern Wairoa River en route to deliver water to places including Turiwiri and Ruawai on the river’s eastern side.
The council is looking at boosting its Kaihu River intake with a bigger pump, among further efforts to build water resilience.
Te Waihekeora is the second and currently the biggest of three Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust reservoirs for Northland.
The first was Matawii at Ngāwha, near Kaikohe, which opened in 2023. Otawere, the third and to date the biggest reservoir at Waimate North, is due for completion by the end of the year.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
