Fixing the damage - Council funds storm repairs

Fixing Waipā's storm-battered roads is going to cost millions – and now councillors have decided how it will be paid for.

Waipā District Council’s Service Delivery Committee yesterday considered the cost of major weather events since October last year, including February’s one-in-250 year storm which caused significant damage to roads and bridges in the district.

Some repairs have already been completed, while others still need permanent fixes.

The storm damage late last year - including washouts and slips in Te Reti Road and Oliver Road, and a culvert collapse in Cambridge Road - cost around $644,600. The road damage costs from the February event (incurred up to the end of June) are expected to reach between $1.72 and $1.8 million, with future permanent reinstatement of the Mangauika Stream bridge and Whatauri Road culvert estimated at a further $3.7 million.

Subsidies from NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi are covering a significant share of the repairs to date, and staff have also been able to use or reallocate some funds from existing budgets.

At the meeting, Councillors approved additional funding for the culvert washout on Te Reti Road near Parawera ($138,500) and a collapsed culvert outfall on Frenchpass Road ($380,000). They also approved $350,000 for a retaining wall on Limeworks Loop Road.

Council will borrow to fund the Te Reti and Limeworks repairs, while the Frenchpass work will be funded by reallocating existing drainage renewal budgets.

Councillor Aidhean Camson, who chaired yesterday's meeting, said getting on with the repairs was the right thing to do for residents, road users and ratepayers.

“Delaying the repairs would cost more in the long run. Roads left unrepaired need ongoing holding repairs and safety measures, and permanent fixes only get more expensive over time, not to mention the inconvenience to those who use them," he said.

“I'm careful about debt, but this is exactly what borrowing is for. These are long-life assets, NZTA is covering a significant share, and spreading the rest over time is fairer to ratepayers than loading it all on to one year or letting the cost climb while we wait."