Thames ValleyMatatoki Water Supplies October 2012 Summary Supplies

Thames Valley/Matatoki Water Supplies October 2012

Summary • • • Supplies Challenges Options Community Working Group Next Steps Maps

Supplies • Matatoki, Puriri, Omahu and Hikutaia are small rural communities located to the south east of Thames. • The water supplied to these communities comes from local streams in the area with minimal treatment.

Matatoki • The water supplied is from the Matatoki Stream with the intake located adjacent to the Quarry. • The water is treated with chlorine only and it is recommended consumers install onsite systems to treat the water. • This supply does not currently meet Drinking Water Standards (DWS).

Thames Valley • The Thames Valley scheme includes the communities of Puriri, Omahu and Hikutaia and parts of the surrounding rural areas. • Puriri, the village and the rural community, is supplied from a Hauraki District Council owned take on the Apakura (which is a tributary to the Puriri Stream). • Omahu, Hikutaia and the surrounding rural communities are supplied from an intake on the Omahu Stream. • These supplies are not treated and it is recommended consumers install onsite systems to treat the water.

Challenges • • Resource Consenting Reticulation Water Demand Drinking Water Standards

Resource Consents • Obtaining resource consents for water supplies on the Coromandel Peninsula is often difficult due to the small capacity of most Coromandel streams. • Challenges have been faced over a number of years, in Matatoki in particular, due to the low flows in the streams during the summer period. • Waikato Regional Council (WRC) have confirmed that the Matatoki Stream is not a sustainable take for TCDC in the long term.

Reticulation • The reticulation network is over 60 years old and was originally installed by the farming community. • Parts of the reticulation have come to the end of their useful life and large scale replacements are required. • Regardless of the future option selected, renewals will be required.

Water Demand • The following demand has been established for each township Design Demand Catchment Design Demand During Peak Summer Period (m 3/d) Matatoki 1, 150 Omahu and Hikutaia 1, 860 Puriri 800

Drinking Water Standards and the Ministry of Health • Rural/Agricultural standards • As part of the Ten Year Plan, decision was made not to pursue treatment due to uncertainties & affordability • Latest indications from Central Government – Drinking Water Standards to be applied where practicable.

Options A number of options have been investigated for source water over previous years, including: • Groundwater • Thames Water Treatment Plant • Kerepehi Water Treatment Plant • New supply on the Hikutaia River • New supply on the Puriri River • Bankside storage (on small streams) • Self sufficiency for water • Maintaining existing operation

Developed Options Prior to the Ten Year Plan (TYP), the following four options were investigated in more detail: • Supply all water from the Puriri River • Self sufficiency and hand back of the supply • Combination of groundwater and surface water • Optimise & retain existing operation

Supply from Puriri This option includes the following: • New consent & intake on the Puriri River • New pumpstation • Renew and upgrade reticulation • Install reservoirs • Minor treatment (solids & colour only) • State Highway connection (Matatoki – Puriri) • $12. 6 M over 10 years

Discontinue – Hand Back This option includes the following: • Process to stop supplying water to residents (in a supply larger that 200 people) • Submit plan to Ministry of Health (Mo. H) • Installation of rain tank system to all dwellings • Interconnection of Matatoki and Thames Valley supplies • Handing back rural supply for farmers to operate • Inform farmers of the required CAPEX and OPEX for the supplies

Discontinue - Costs • • Tanks - $1, 950, 000 (450 properties) Reticulation connection - $417, 000 (1. 8 km) CAPEX (farmers) - $4. 5 m (retic and consents) OPEX (farmers) - $250, 000/year (O&M)

Hills vs. River Option • Relying on supplying the Waihou River side of the highway from groundwater • Supplying the hills side of the highway with the existing takes (Matatoki and Omahu) • All of Puriri would remain supplied from the Apakura • Renewing required pipework infrastructure • $7 M over 10 years Due to the unsuitability of groundwater supply, & the capital cost, this option was abandoned & no further investigations were undertaken.

Optimise & Retain Existing Operation • Retain the existing intakes • Interconnection of Matatoki and Thames Valley supplies • Renewal of the existing pipelines. Upgrades done where necessary (undertaken as a 25 year programme) • Reduce intake volumes over time as losses are reduced • Install Chlorine dosing at each intake • Upgrades to the intake infrastructure (screens etc. ) • Input from Council/senior management in consultation with WRC • $5. 3 M over 10 years • If the required consent volumes could not be achieved, a link from the Thames network could be installed for an extra ~$1. 8 M

Supply from Kerepehi Water Treatment Plant • • This option was investigated previously Now being investigated in further detail Drinking Water quality supply Volumes, details & costs currently being looked into further

2012 -22 Ten Year Plan • As part of the TYP (Ten Year Plan) process, funds were allocated for the project based on the ‘Maintain Existing Operation’ option ($5. 3 M over 10 years including renewals). • This is not set in stone and can be amended to reflect the selected long term option as this project develops over the coming months.

Community Working Group • Council wish to form a Community Working Group. • The group will work with Council staff on options, providing sound local knowledge and practical ideas. • This group would be a total of 5 -7 key practical locals to represent the entire Thames Valley area. • This group will meet regularly to discuss long term options and work though ideas. • If you are interested or would like to nominate someone to act as a representative, please put there name, address, contact details and occupation in the box at the back of the room. • Elected Members and staff will work with the nominations to form the group.

Next Steps… • • Formation of Community Working Group Review existing and/or new options Recommend option – early 2013 Implementation to follow

Maps - Matatoki

Maps - Puriri

Maps - Omahu