Business North July / August 2021

78 | INFRASTRUCTURE Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust Ambitious scheme to harness resource from page 76 “This first reservoir in the Mid North scheme will bring significant benefits supplying water to the Ngawha Innovation and Enterprise Park, Kaikohe Township, and horticultural users,” says Andrew. “Stage one of the Redhill reservoir, because it is smaller and simpler to construct, will be complete before the end of the year and will be supplying water to horticultural ventures adjacent to the reservoir which the Trust has already secured commercial arrangements with.” Meanwhile, investigations to build further reservoirs near Ohaeawai and at Waimate North have been undertaken and the Trust is consulting with stakeholders including hapū and Pāmu (previously known as Landcorp), regarding a fourth reservoir site potentially on Mangatoa Station, west of Kaikohe. Primary Industry Infrastructure Consultant Chris Frost has been heavily involved in the project since its inception eight years ago. His main role is to secure uptake from land- owners who wish to develop their traditional farming land into horticulture, and work with other parties wanting to invest in the local sector. “The opportunities are beginning to be realised by existing landowners as to what bringing water to their properties can mean. “It opens up opportunities that previously didn’t exist for many landowners, whether it be as a grower themselves or as an opportu- nity to relocate and let others maximise the potential of the property,” says Chris. Resource consents are in place to enable the collection of water through a mix of pump- ing systems and gravity from water sources when water flow is high. Once held in reser- voirs, the water would be distributed through a network of pipes as needed. Users will buy shares from the Trust to access the schemes. Initial allocations would be priced at $25,000 per share in the Kaipara and $30,000 per share in the Mid North. There would also be annual costs, both fixed and variable, based on seasonal use which would cover the ongoing costs of main- taining the scheme. Each share will provide for access to 3000m³ of water per annum which will be supplied at a daily volume of 30m³. These volumes are considered sufficient for a variety of horticultural uses and are in gen- eral alignment with other local schemes and recently issued consents to individuals. While the Trust is charged with overseeing construction of the schemes, it is envisioned that they will ultimately be owned by the wa- ter users (shareholders) and operated using co-operative principles. The Trust is creating water companies for this purpose. Director of Horticulture New Zealand and expert horticultural consultant Dr Bruce Campbell believes the schemes open huge opportunities for landowners, including iwi, to capitalise on the potential their land holds. “Once these schemes are up and running, it will be a game-changer for the region. Having a reliable source of water available in areas where there are fertile, free-draining soils, such as in the two areas the Trust is operating in, de-risks the land development opportunity for horticulture,” Bruce says. Spreading the word - page 80 The projects are also timely given land cur- rently suitable for horticultural development and with existing access to water is becoming increasingly scarce, resulting in continual inflation of land values. The regional economic benefits of the pro- ject are undeniable, with substantial oppor- tunities becoming available once the water schemes are operational. Early estimations were that the potential economic benefits will result in a jump in annual regional GDP of $150 million and could create up to 877 jobs. The job creation figure is of particularly im- portance economically and socially to districts where new jobs have traditionally been hard to find. Water will be distributed from the holding reservoirs through a network of pipes. To access the schemes users will need to buy shares from the Trust. Simon Cocker Registered Landscape Architect PO Box 222, Whangarei 0140 P 09 430 3793 M 027 4788812 E simon@scla.co.nz Proud to have assisted with securing the consents for Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust Northland Based for 21 Years Landscape Design Landscape and visual assessment 0800 436 723 | waterforce.co.nz PROUD TO SUPPORT LOCAL GROWERS. WaterForce provides industry-leading knowledge, technical expertise and experience. We provide integrated water management solutions to make your land more productive and sustainable. For the latest, most experienced advice visit waterforce.co.nz or our online store at shop.waterforce.co.nz . PUMPING WATER FILTRATION WATER MEASUREMENT WATER MEASUREMENT IRRIGATION SERVICES SE I ES