| 69 INFRASTRUCTURE Hastings District Council: Waiaroha Treatment Plant The cutting-edge plant uses the latest treatment technologies to provide pure, safe drinking water to thousands of homes. Another important factor was the council’s commitment to find a safe and efficient way to build water resilience into the network in the case of natural disasters, and to better manage water during periods of high demand, such as through the summer months. Waiaroha’s education centre was guided by the input from Ngati Kahungunu’s Hira Huata as the project’s cultural advisor. Hira worked closely with the council’s project team and consultants Designgroup Stapleton Elliot, Stitchbird and Wayfinder, to articulate and bring into form te ao Māori in the indoor and outdoor learning spaces, and via the online learning portal. On Waiaroha’s website, educators can tap into a wealth of useful learning modules, directed at meeting the learning needs of children from pre-school to secondary-school level. These include Te hurihanga wai (the water cycle), Ngāi wai (creatures living in Hawke’s Bay’s rivers, lakes and streams), Te rere o te wā (explaining how the Heretaunga plains and waterways have changed) and Te wai ki tōu whare (where the water we use comes from and where it goes). Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said the council and the community could be proud of Waiaroha. “It is incredibly important that we educate ourselves and the coming generations on the importance of water, and how we can best conserve and protect it, particularly given the rapid climate changes we are seeing and the impact that will likely have on our water systems.” Since January 2024 Waiaroha had welcomed almost 14,000 visitors, including 19 schools and formal groups. www.drainways.co.nz | 06 879 9423 As the head contractor of the Waiaroha Water Treatment plant build, Drainways was integral to its success. In charge of carrying out all earthworks, drainage, and coordinating all subcontractors and tradesmen on site, Drainways worked closely with the HDC to open this awardwinning infrastructure project to the public.
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