The Dunedin City Council’s draft 10-year capital expenditure budget for its three waters group includes $200 million for renewal projects and $96 million for new projects.
In his report on the draft budget, three waters (water, wastewater and stormwater) group manager Tom Dyer said the majority of the spending was associated with South Dunedin and the Green Island wastewater treatment plant. The rest was allocated to comply with legislation, improve efficiency and resilience.
The proposed renewal programme only included projects required to maintain service levels and would proactively target significant risk areas to prevent significant service failure, Mr Dyer said.
A significant part ($35 million) of the proposed new spending would go towards flood alleviation work in South Dunedin.
The work would provide catchment-wide flood alleviation and improve service levels during heavy rainfall events.
South Dunedin Action Group chairman Ray Macleod said while he had not seen the exact details of the project, he was happy with what the council proposed.
"Anything that alleviates flooding and helps during the bigger rainfall events that we experience from time to time is most welcome."
"But the devil will be in the detail."
While it did not seem the council would include any works which would mitigate the effects of climate change, what was proposed would help the area in the short term.
"Anything which helps us in that short to medium term is welcome and gives us some room to look at what needs to be done long term, in terms of climate change."
Other spending in the council’s three waters group budget included $44 million to upgrade the Green Island wastewater treatment plant.
There was also money budgeted for the upgrade of the Mt Grand reservoir ($8 million), the Ross Creek to Mt Grand transfer line ($4.4 million) and upgrades to the Seacliff, Warrington and Waikouaiti wastewater treatment plants ($4.9 million).
Plan timeline
Dunedin City Council’s 10-year plan process. —
November 2017 to February 2018: Council develops the 10-year plan including issues and options for consideration.
March to April 2018: Formal consultation period including opportunities for the public to be heard.
May 2018: Council deliberations.
June 2018: Final 10-year plan adopted by council.
