Capital expenditure planned for the 2017/18 year has been brought forward to 2016/17 to allow the planned upgrade of the McAlister stormwater pump station in Whakatāne to proceed.
Just under $2.3 million had been set aside for the upgrade in this year’s budget, but the complex nature of the work required – including the need to ensure that the pump station remains fully functioning throughout the project – meant the tenders received were higher than expected. Rather than reduce the scope and effectiveness of the work, the Whakatāne District Council has approved the reallocation of $600,000 for work planned in 2017/18 to ensure that the pump station project can be completed by September 2016.
The pump station is a critical component of the Apanui stormwater system, drawing rainwater which has flowed from the catchment into the Strand Canal and pumping it into the Whakatāne River. The planned upgrade will increase the station’s pumping capacity from 3.2 to 6.0 cubic metres per second, helping to reduce the likelihood of surface flooding affecting properties in the catchment.
Key elements of the upgrade include:
- The installation of a 3-metre x 1-metre, sealable box culvert through the stopbank on the eastern side of the pump station
- Structural modifications to the inlet, pump bays and roof of the existing station
- Replacement of the three existing pumps with three new, high-efficiency submersible pumps
- Mechanical and electrical telemetry upgrades
- Installation of sheet pile retaining walls at the station inlet
- Civil works required for the station and site modifications
Other projects already completed or underway include the installation of a large box culvert under The Strand, quadrupling its flow capacity, and re-contouring of the Strand Canal reserve upstream and downstream from the culvert to increase its stormwater detention capacity.