2021-51 Infrastructure Strategy December 2020 Objective file ID Opotiki District Council | 108 St John Street | PO Box 44 | Ōpōtiki 3162 | New Zealand Telephone 07 315 3030 | Fax 07 315 7050 | www.odc.govt.nz | [email protected] Document Control Date Version Description Prepared by: Input from: Reviewed by: Dec 2020 1 Report for adoption by council K Nagendran I Castles G McIntosh B Senior A Kirikiri J Bird A Mark S Mathias Table of contents 1 Introduction 7 1.1 Purpose and scope 7 1.2 Document structure 7 1.3 Guiding principles for the infrastructure strategy 7 2 Our strategic context 8 2.1 Our district 8 2.2 The harbour project 9 2.3 National changes in the three waters sector 9 2.4 NZ is taking climate change more seriously 10 2.5 COVID 10 3 Overview of our services and intentions 11 3.1 Water supply 11 3.1.1 Where we are providing this service 11 3.1.2 Overview of our assets 13 3.1.3 What is important to our community 14 3.1.4 Our current situation and intentions for what is important 14 3.2 Wastewater 16 3.2.1 Where we are providing this service 16 3.2.2 Overview of our assets 17 3.2.3 What is important to our community 18 3.2.4 Our current situation and intentions for what is important 18 3.3 Stormwater 20 3.3.1 Where we are providing this service 20 3.3.2 Overview of our assets 22 3.3.3 What is important to our community 22 3.3.4 Our current situation and intentions for what is important 22 3.4 Transport 24 3.4.1 Overview of our assets 24 3.4.2 What is important to our community 25 3.4.3 Our current situation and intentions for what is important 25 4 The challenges facing our infrastructure 26 4.1 Natural hazards 26 4.1.1 Sea level rise 26 4.1.2 Ōpōtiki Flooding 26 4.1.3 Climate change 27 4.1.4 Earthquake and Liquefaction 27 4.2 NZ wide changes to the three waters industry 28 4.2.1 Our starting point: 28 4.2.2 The likely scenario: 28 4.3 Responding to community needs and expectations 29 4.3.1 Water Supply 30 4.3.2 Wastewater 32 4.3.3 Stormwater 33 4.3.4 Transport 38 4.4 Responding to growth 39 4.4.1 Water Supply 40 4.4.2 Wastewater 42 4.4.3 Stormwater 46 Opotiki District Council ‐ 2021‐2051 Infrastructure Strategy December 2020 Opotiki District Council 4.4.4 Transport 46 4.5 Replacing old assets 47 4.5.1 Water Supply 48 4.5.2 Wastewater 53 4.5.3 Stormwater 55 4.5.4 Transport 56 4.6 Financial affordability 56 5 What we plan to do 57 5.1 Forecast capital expenditure 63 5.2 Forecast operational expenditure 64 6 Our assumptions 65 Opotiki District Council ‐ 2021‐2051 Infrastructure Strategy December 2020 Opotiki District Council Executive summary Scope and purpose of the strategy This strategy describes the key infrastructure‐related challenges facing the Ōpōtiki District Council’s water supply, stormwater, wastewater, and transport activities, over the next 30 years. It sets out what the options and implications are for responding to these challenges, and Council’s preferred approach. Key challenges The key challenges facing our infrastructure are: Natural hazards including climate change; Changes to the three waters industry; Responding to community needs and expectations; Responding to growth; and Replacing old assets (aging infrastructure). Strategic needs in each activity Water Supply Key needs facing our water supply infrastructure include: Responding to impacts of storms on stream water quality at Te Kaha; Providing additional capacity for growth in the Hukutaia area; Responding to changes in the three waters industry. Wastewater Key needs facing our wastewater infrastructure include: Extending the wastewater network to support growth in the Hukutaia area; Upgrading the existing wastewater treatment plant to cope with future flows; Reducing the amount of ground water and stormwater entering the wastewater network; Stormwater Key needs facing our stormwater infrastructure include: Providing new stormwater assets in Hukutaia to manage increased flows from future growth; Reducing the areas with unacceptable levels of nuisance or damaging flood risk. Compliance with outcomes from changes to the three waters industry. Transport Key needs facing our transport infrastructure include: An expected long term increasing in the number of slips and washouts caused by more frequent rainfall events and flooding; Increased loading on the network as the population grows in the district. Tonkin & Taylor Ltd December 2020 Opotiki District Council ‐ 2021‐2051 Infrastructure Strategy Job No: 1013970.0000.v1 Opotiki District Council 6 Proposed major infrastructure projects The following figure highlights the major infrastructure projects that are proposed over the next 30 years. Tonkin & Taylor Ltd December 2020 Opotiki District Council ‐ 2021‐2051 Infrastructure Strategy Job No: 1013970.0000.v1 Opotiki District Council 7 1 Introduction 1.1 Purpose and scope This Infrastructure Strategy describes the key infrastructure related challenges facing the Ōpōtiki District over the next 30 years, what the options and implications are for responding to these, and the Ōpōtiki District Council’s preferred approach. The strategy covers the Council’s water supply, stormwater, wastewater, and transport activities. This strategy focuses on the wider big picture for Council and is supplemented by the 2021 asset management plans for each individual activity. These additional plans give a more comprehensive insight into the way in which Council manages the assets for each activity. 1.2 Document structure This strategy has a two‐part structure, shown below. Where are we now? Our context and the important The services we provide and our changes in the last three years intentions for the future Our strategy for the future The challenges we face What we plan to do 1.3 Guiding principles for the infrastructure strategy ODC’s vision is “Strong communities, Strong future”. To support this vision, ODC has four strategic priorities, shown in the table below, along with the guiding principles used in the infrastructure strategy to support these priorities. Council’s strategic priorities How this strategy supports the strategic priorities Economic growth Support industrial growth while working to minimise impacts of additional industry on infrastructure Quality of life Provide infrastructure to support residential growth while working to minimise the financial risk of extending services to far Strong community spirit Provide infrastructure that enables the community to come together and be connected Environmental quality Understand natural hazards and incorporating them into planning Opotiki District Council ‐ 2021‐2051 Infrastructure Strategy December 2020 Opotiki District Council 8 PART A: WHERE ARE WE NOW? 2 Our strategic context The key big‐picture elements that are shaping our approach to infrastructure are: The makeup of our district; The harbour development project; Changes in the three waters industry; and New Zealand is taking climate change more seriously These are overviewed in the sections below. 2.1 Our district The Ōpōtiki district is in the Eastern Bay of Plenty and extends from the Ōhiwa Harbour almost to East Cape. It incorporates the townships of Ōpōtiki and Te Kaha, along with a range of smaller settlements scattered throughout the district, with the majority along the coastline. Figure 2‐1: Map of Ōpōtiki District Council The district encompasses 25% of the Bay of Plenty region. Approximately 50% of the Bay of Plenty coastline falls within the district, comprising 160 kilometres of coastline with an economic zone extending 12 kilometres out to sea. Key industries in the area are agriculture and kiwifruit. Aqua culture (open‐ocean mussel farms and associated processing) is expected to become a significant employer in the next five years, as well as a source of demand on the water and wastewater networks. New concrete and aggregate plants have also been established recently. Opotiki District Council ‐ 2021‐2051 Infrastructure Strategy December 2020 Opotiki District Council 9 The district relies on the state highway network for connectivity to the wider region and beyond. Although Ōpōtiki is an area with a rich natural environment and inspiring people, the district as a community faces many social and economic challenges. Approximately 70% of the district’s land area is non‐rateable. Close to 52% of the landmass is in Department of Conservation (DoC) estate, with a further 12% managed through Nga Whenua Rāhui, in association with DoC. Ōpōtiki has a high proportion of Māori land blocks, particularly east of Ōpōtiki township and there are 193 hectares in reserve land. 2.2 The harbour project Re‐establishing the harbour is a long‐held community aspiration. The Ōpōtiki Harbour Development Project will provide access for larger boats by creating an entrance that is navigable in all but the worst conditions, enabling Ōpōtiki to become a service and processing base for aquaculture and other marine related industries. Physical works on the Ōpōtiki Harbour Development Project commenced in June 2020 and are expected to be completed in 2024. The project will provide a platform for sustainable economic growth by: Capitalising on opportunities from the existing 3,800 hectare marine farm offshore from Ōpōtiki. Enabling other aquaculture ventures and marine related development in the Eastern Bay of Plenty. Increasing overall social, economic and cultural wellbeing in Ōpōtiki and the wider Eastern Bay of Plenty. Enhancing recreation opportunities and public access to the coast. An additional project for the private development of a new marina is in the late stages of investigation and approval. The timing is still to be confirmed but construction may occur in the next few years.