| 21 Think Water Hawke’s Bay REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT T T Kim Newth Spring growth in cyclone’s aftermath Think Water Hawke’s Bay’s field team donned the gumboots and manned the diggers in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle. Cyclone Gabrielle’s ongoing impacts have been widely felt across Hawkes Bay this winter, says Liam Taylor, of Think Water Hawke’s Bay that specialises in water management solutions. With the approach of the spring season, the Think Water team is relieved to be seeing a lift in forward orders. In the wake of the cyclone, Think Water Hawke’s Bay’s team of field staff, led by Operations Manager Niko Eaglesome, put on gumboots to help with the recovery efforts and to repair and replace essential water supply infrastructure. In partnership with Davey Water Products NZ, the team also donated some equipment to the Hawke’s Bay Clean Up Team. While the initial clean up phase has now passed, there is still a long recovery road ahead. “The cyclone has taken out the vast majority of our mid-range to larger clients and a lot of smaller family orchards that were damaged won’t come back,” says Liam. “Before the cyclone, we had a number of projects planned in the Eskdale area, Omarunui and Waiohiki for family-owned orchard operations. A lot of them were intergenerational properties but they’ve had no choice but to walk away.” Some properties and businesses are also still in limbo waiting for insurance to be settled or for project approvals from local authorities. While it has been a quiet winter for Think Water Hawke’s Bay, that picture is now starting to change with a significant number of strong projects coming up over the next few months. “With the current staff, we’re looking to be very busy through September, October and November.” Think Water Hawke’s Bay has a 20-strong team of skilled plumbers, electricians, service technicians and mechanical engineers, with all the expertise needed for system design installation, maintenance and repair. An on-call team is available to respond when required. As a specialist in irrigation, pumping and filtration systems, Think Water Hawke’s Bay has a key role to play in helping growers with rebuild plans. “For example, we’re working closely with Berry Farms NZ, which was affected quite significantly. They are now at the point where they’re getting ready for a full rebuild and need us to run water to the tunnel houses and supply new pumps and drip irrigation. A lot of it is in progress and we’re getting the product in ready to go.” The prospect of a potentially dry summer ahead because of El Niño conditions is now front of mind for many local farmers, orchardists and growers. Think Water Hawke’s Bay offers water harvesting systems that can help producers to optimise water usage efficiently, with a comprehensive range of product available including water tanks, water pumps, water filtration systems and UV filtration systems. These are also useful for lifestyle block owners who may be looking for smart irrigation and water storage solutions in step with local authority and rural firefighting requirements. Davey pumps, supplied by Think Water Hawke’s Bay, are a popular choice as the quality is exceptional. “ The Davey pumps also have the best warranty on the market; if something goes wrong, they pay to get it fixed.” For farms in more remote areas, Think Water Hawke’s Bay’s solar pumps offer a cost effective and clean pumping option for stock water systems. “It means they can run all day pumping from a dam or spring to a set of tanks with water then gravity fed around the farm. It’s still a very new industry in Hawke’s Bay but has a lot of promise.” Think Water Hawkes Bay’s filtration systems have been in consistent demand for some years too, with interest from local cafés on the rise since the introduction of chlorination to the Hawke’s Bay supply. For more information: Phone 0800 800 262 iplex.co.nz Maclon is pleased to support Think Water Hawkes Bay and proud to be a supplier of high quality water reticulation products. www.maclon.co.nz
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