| 23 T T Virginia Wright Infrastructure upgrades for expanding Kaikohe Significant wastewater pipe upgrades around town are replacing several kilometres of aging, cracking and leaking asbestos cement pipes. Far North District Council REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Situated almost midway between the Hokianga Harbour to the west and the Bay of Islands to the east, Kaikohe is the geographical heart of the Far North District and houses the main headquarters of the Far North District Council (FNDC). The largest inland town in Northland, with a population of nearly 5000, Kaikohe is steadily growing with new subdivisions being developed to meet the increasing need for housing. The multi-million dollar upgrade to its water and wastewater systems delivers some of the infrastructure needed to service those houses. “Kaikohe has a need for new housing and the infrastructure upgrade is essential to the housing which is being developed, to be close to schools and amenities, over the next 10 years,” explains IAF Project Director Dave Collins. Thanks to a co-funding partnership between the FNDC and the government’s Infrastructure Acceleration Fund (IAF), established to support the delivery of critical infrastructure needed to enable new housing in high-growth areas, Kaikohe’s upgrades will support the development of approximately 365 new homes to the east of the town. Extensive modelling was done to establish what was needed across the FNDC’s water and wastewater services in Kaikohe to enable that many houses to be built, resulting in a detailed design now in its delivery stage. Housing developers contribute a levy to help pay for the infrastructure that the project is delivering to their gates ready for connection. Significant wastewater pipe upgrades around town are replacing several kilometres of aging, cracking and leaking asbestos cement pipes with larger diameter Polyethylene (PE) and Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) pipes, capable of carrying more effluent and expected to last for the next 100 years. At the same time, 3790 metres of rising mains (a pressurised system) are being installed to move effluent from the new developments, and some other parts of Kaikohe, across flat land that the usual gravity-controlled system can’t manage, from a large pump station to the treatment plant. “Thanks to the funding partnership between government, the Far North District Council and the developers’ contribution, Kaikohe’s getting the critical infrastructure upgrades it needs to enable development of the dry, warm houses and quality accommodation that our whānau need,” says Dave. Delivering smart, sustainable water infrastructure across New Zealand. Bellcon Limited – Your Project, Engineered to Succeed From concept to commissioning, Bellcon is a water and waste water design and build contractor, delivering integrated engineering solutions across New Zealand, supported by strong in-house project management and shutdown planning expertise. • Project & Commissioning Management • Design Reviews & Shutdown Coordination • Civil, Water, and Industrial Sector Expertise Trusted. Proven. Precise. Nationwide service Get in touch: www.bellcon.co.nz Deliveringpractical and reliableengineering solutionsbackedby local knowledgeanddecadesof experience. 0800 424 447 info@haighworkman. co.nz /www.haighworkman. co.nz The upgrades will also give firefighters easier access to a greater water supply, improving firefighting capability across the town and enhancing the town’s climate resilience. To increase the amount of treated water available to the growing population, a new stainless steel reservoir is under construction alongside the existing one which will double Kaikohe’s storage capacity and will increase resilience in both drought and weather events. “The other upgrades we’re doing mean the plant can treat more water per day to fill those reservoirs more quickly as well,” says Dave. With the current upgrade work on track to be finished later in 2026, next on the list is a comprehensive upgrade of Kaikohe’s Wastewater Treatment Plant currently in the design and resource consenting phase.
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