Stormwater basins to protect Kawerau homes from flooding

Kawerau District Council manager operations and services Hanno van der Merwe stands at the smallest stormwater retention basin at the top of Valley Road. Troy Baker / Whakatane Beacon

Three years on from intense flooding, stormwater retention basins have been completed in Kawerau.

Four stormwater basins have been constructed on rural land uphill of the township to prevent flooding similar to what occurred in 2017 from happening again.

Following intense rainfall, stormwater run-off from rural land exceeded the capacity of Kawerau's stormwater systems and damaged homes at Beattie Rd, Hardie Avenue and the junction of Fenton Mill and Valley Rds.

Kawerau District Council manager operations and services Hanno van der Merwe said the four stormwater basins could hold intense rainfall and then slowly release it over a period of eight hours.

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This would ensure stormwater systems were not inundated with water and could cope with the flow.

The four basins cost over $300,000 to complete and the work was done by local company Waiotahi Contractors. They have been constructed on Otarahanga Farm with permission of
Tuwharetoa ki Kawerau.

Van der Merwe said it was not possible to completely remove the risk of flooding, but the basins would help mitigate the risk.

Although it had taken some time to get the storm basins completed, van der Merwe said nearby residents were pleased they had been constructed and there had been many positive comments.

The final step is to plant grass on the basins and allow the cattle to return to the farm.