NPDC is working alongside mana whenua and Waitara residents and businesses to reduce the likelihood of flooding in the town and mitigate negative effects from stormwater on the environment.
Status: Closed
Consultation closed: 5pm on Friday 1 December
We want to hear from you about the issues you have experienced with the stormwater network as well as pinpointing the areas that flood. We also want to look at the role natural and built environments play in causing or mitigating flooding issues.
It’s important we gather all the relevant information and consider all the options for addressing the issues, so we’re taking a holistic approach to the project by looking at historical data, matauranga Māori (knowledge) and kaitiakitanga principles as part of our research.
The public feedback will help us draft a Waitara Stormwater Catchment Management Plan, which will identify areas where there are flooding issues and their potential solutions.
Your knowledge of your town and how heavy rainfall impacts your neighbourhood is invaluable. We want to hear from Waitara residents and businesses about your experiences with flooding and stormwater issues over the years.
We also want to hear about how you interact with local waterbodies, whether it’s food-gathering or rowing or something else.
It’s easy to share your stories with us. Click on the survey link below and fill in the details about what you’ve seen or experienced. You can also load a relevant photo and pinpoint locations on the map as part of your feedback. Thank you for being part of this information gathering phase!
All of the information that we gather as part of our research, including this input from the public, will help us draft a Waitara Stormwater Catchment Management Plan. In mid-2024 we will talk directly with those whose properties are at risk of flooding, followed by information-sharing with the wider public.
A stormwater catchment is an area of land where rain flows into a common river, lake, or other body of water. The CMPs capture the current state of the urban stormwater network for each catchment and where the challenges are, and identifies the opportunities to address these challenges. They are primarily focused on stormwater and its effects on flood risk, people and the environment, but also integrate other aspects when appropriate, like where there is significant inflow to and overflow from the wastewater network. The scope of our CMP is restricted to the urban portions of the hydrologic catchments (these are the areas managed by NPDC) and to the issues caused by the runoff from local rainfall. In the Waitara catchment, the control of flooding risk caused by the Waitara awa is managed by Taranaki Regional Council (TRC).
The opportunities proposed by the CMP to address issues may range from upgrades to the piped network, to restoration of streams and wetlands, or managing land development to integrate a stormwater approach that’s specific to each area and its issues.
We will be creating 13 catchment management plans across the district. We’re starting in Waitara due to its significant and ongoing issues with stormwater and flooding.
Stormwater issues involve more than the existing pipe network. Understanding the causes of flooding requires understanding the natural water flows across a landscape, the role of manga (streams and creeks) and awa (rivers), and the role of the built environment. Māori have a valuable role in this understanding through matauranga (knowledge) and kaitiakitanga, as do local residents and businesses who have experienced stormwater issues.
You can share your experiences and feedback about stormwater issues in Waitara by opening up the feedback map on this page and filling in the details.
We will develop a draft Waitara Stormwater Catchment Management Plan, including proposed opportunities to address the issues.
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Page last updated: 05:00pm Fri 01 December 2023