Sign In / Register
A decision on the route of a sewer pipeline, connecting northern development in Warkworth with a pump station in Lucy Moore Park, has been deferred to December.
The decision was due to have been released next month.
The deferral follows a delegation by One Mahurangi to the board of Watercare earlier this month, impressing on it the business carnage that would result from the route if it went through the middle of town.
Business association co-chairs Dave Stott and Bevan Morrison told the board that the proposed works, estimated to take a minimum of a year to complete, threatened the vibrancy and accessibility of the town’s heart.
“It would most definitely lead to a decline in foot traffic, disrupt local businesses, and would cause unquantified collateral damage to businesses, families and the wider community,” they said.
After the meeting, both Stott and Morrison agreed it was good to have some breathing space to further investigate alternative routes. However, they said the fight was far from over.
Morrison said that while the presentation appeared to be “well received” with plenty of nodding heads and a lengthy thank you, he said it felt like they [Watercare] were so far down the track, they wouldn’t change their mind.
Stott said One Mahurangi remained committed to the alternative route via Shoesmith, Mill Lane, Neville and Percy Streets, but they had a responsibility to plan for the worst.
“Cost seems to be the main driver for the Queen Street route, but Watercare won’t give us the figures, and they have been quite blatant in preventing us from getting information.
“We have to make sure contingency plans are in place to minimise disruptions, as much as possible, if their preferred route proceeds.”
One option being looked at is the possibility of going deeper under existing services.
Stott believed the presentation of a petition containing 3033 signatures carried weight with the board and strengthened Warkworth’s case for a review of the preferred route.
He said the board had effectively directed Watercare staff to work collaboratively with the community on a solution, which he hoped would lead to a better solution than what was currently on the table.
An estimated 126 businesses will be affected if the Elizabeth, Queen and Baxter Streets option goes ahead.
Meanwhile, Watercare has released the criteria it used to evaluate the five shortlisted options (see panel).
A Watercare spokesperson says the options have also been assessed based on construction cost estimates, operational expenses and quantitative risk analysis.
“Weighting for the social category has been updated to include construction disruption, which was previously in the construction category, as it primarily covers disruption to the community,” the spokesperson said.
“We have made this modification to provide greater clarity as to how we recognise the impact that any option may have on the community during the construction phase.
“It’s important to note that of the five shortlisted options taken through the multi-criteria analysis, three would impact Queen Street.
“The Shoesmith, Mill Lane, Alnwick Street option did not progress past the long list as it was deemed not viable for a number of reasons. These include the need for land access/acquisition, constructability, health and safety risks, and operability.”
