About The Project - Te Tai Tokerau Water Project

Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust was created in mid-2020 to initiate water storage and distribution schemes in two areas in Northland with high soils, therefore horticultural potential. These areas are the Mid-North near Kaikohe and on the northern Pouto Peninsula south of Dargaville. The Trust will provide the infrastructure to develop approximately 3000 hectares of new horticulture.

While Northland enjoys high average annual rainfall, a lack of storage means much of this valuable resource which falls on the whenua can’t be retained for use in times of shortage. By creating reservoirs and distribution schemes, landowners with access to them will be able to plan and implement future land use change with greater confidence.

The Trust’s objective has been to develop these water schemes to enable the establishment of commercially viable and environmentally sustainable horticulture, providing economic and employment opportunities in both sub-regions.

There’s also opportunity for municipal water supplies meaning the need for water restrictions in towns like Kaikohe and Dargaville can be reduced.

While the Trust is building the schemes, the long-term plan is for control of each of them to transition to separate water companies, controlled by their shareholders. The groundwork to allow this to occur is underway.

The Trust has received funding assistance from Kānoa - Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit - the Northland Regional Council and Far North District Council. Their support has enabled the completion of Te Waihekeora Reservoir in Kaipara and Matawaii Reservoir near Kaikohe. The Otawere Reservoir will be finished in August 2024, all going to plan.

Matawii_Trustees

Trustees at the official opening of work on the Mid North scheme September 2020. L-R Ken Rintoul, Hon. Dover Samuels, Hon. Murray McCully (chair), Kathryn de Bruin, former Regional Development Minister Hon. Shane Jones and local kaumatua Collin Rameka.

Te Waihekeora Reservoir in Kaipara

Demand for water user allocations now needs to be established and the Trust is calling for those interested to register.

At the heart of everything the Trust is doing, is the belief that the water schemes are being developed for the benefit of the communities. The Trust has consulted with Iwi and communities around the reservoirs. As the project moves forward, it’s important to the Trust, that the communities are being informed and their questions answered.

Kaikohe_event

Members of the Trust at a local community meeting in Kaikohe

The Trust received $68m from the PGF to progress theses projects. Of this, $8.5m is in the form of a grant, the rest is a loan.

A study of the potential economic impacts of the proposed schemes has shown they could create up to 440 new jobs and lift the value of output in the Mid North by $178m. The Kaipara scheme could create up to 437 new jobs and lift the value of output in the region by $220m.

Snapshot of where it's at:

Construction of the Matawii reservoir near Kaikohe was finished in 2023 and became operational last year at a cost of $16m. It provides essential support for the Kaikohe town water supply, the Ngawha Innovation and Enterprise Park and surrounding areas. Matawii covers about 18 hectares and has a capacity of 750,000 cubic metres. It’s fully operational and the trust has secured a number of shareholders who wish to use the water.
Construction of the Otawere Reservoir at Waimate North, 7 kilometres from Kerikeri is nearing completion. The remainder of the earthworks to build the dam embankments are being constructed, then covered in HDPE liner. It will be complete in August.
Construction of Te Waihekeora Reservoir near Glinks Gully in Kaipara was recently completed and enlarged to 3.3 million cubic metres. The reservoir is the first step in what is hoped to be a larger Kaipara water storage and distribution scheme which could ultimately support up to 1000 hectares of new horticultural development in the region within two years.
Orchardists are already taking water for their crops adjacent to Te Waihekeora. These include three avocado businesses.

About

Demand for water user allocations now needs to be established and the Trust is calling for those interested to register.

Snapshot of where it's at:

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