25 March 2022
Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Residents' concerns about stormwater systems following this week's heavy rainfall
Enquiry
I just wanted to send through comments for right of reply regarding drainage infrastructure in Rotorua following yesterday's floods.
Is council aware some residents are not satisfied with drainage infrastructure on their streets?
What is being done to address these concerns?
What needs to be done to improve drainage infrastructure around Rotorua?
Rotorua's Mandy Rangiwhetu said this was the fourth time her house had flooded in the past six years.
Knee-level water in the garage and driveway left her car, gym equipment, and lounge suite damaged.
She was “fed up” and said the flooding was due to “insufficient drainage” in the area.
“I just want a solution. I want the council to be aware that we don’t have enough drains on this end of Springfield Rd.”
“There is bugger all drainage at the lowest point of Springfield Rd. When we get torrential rain, it is hard for it to keep up.”
Her car and garage were flooded at Easter last year after a storm hit Rotorua.
"It is the fourth time this has happened to us and it is not good enough. We have another big clean-up to do and my new car - that isn't even a year old - needs to be professionally dried."
Glenholme resident Mike Baker was woken up by his wife at 5am yesterday to find water "lapping at the door" with his front yard flooded up to his calf muscles.
The water made its way into the house and damaged the kitchen, lounge, hallway and garage.
Baker said drainage on Sumner St was a “major problem” and infrastructure “can’t cope" with downpours.
He said the flooding had "come back to haunt us" as the home had been badly impacted in the 2018 floods.
“The system they have got in place just can’t cope with big downpours. Twice now this has happened to us - and by no means are we in a flood zone. The drains are the problem.
"It is the system itself that has failed. The systems should be able to handle the heavy rain.
“We have got a major problem with the drainage in Rotorua. It’s not a priority for council - and that is what frustrates me.”
Subsequent request from reporter:
It would be great to know how many complaints [about drainage/stormwater systems] you have received from March 2018 to March 2022
Additional comment provided for Council response:
I just have a few more comments I wanted to send to you for right of reply regarding stormwater systems in Rotorua.
Chris Parnell lives at XX. The downstairs of his house was flooded following downpours earlier this week.
“The capacity of the stormwater system isn’t sufficient for the surrounding area.
“I know there is a lot despair in the community that we are having this ongoing issue. And it doesn’t feel like there is a positive push from the Council to try and help.”
Rotorua Lakes Council provided Parnell with sandbags after a few “close calls” where his garden and shed flooded. But unfortunately water still managed to enter the house this time round.
“We don’t have a lot of hope for a solution other than us having to spend a lot of money and come up with some kind of flood wall.”
He said there was a “general feeling” of unease in the community about money going into lakefront beautification rather than fixing infrastructure.
“As much as we love what they are doing at the lakefront, our community is going underwater. It is a painful juxtaposition.”
Response
From Regan Fraser, Acting DCE Infrastructure & Environmental Solutions:
Council is well aware of the increasing impact of weather events on our city and investing in safe, reliable infrastructure is a top priority.
Council’s Infrastructure Strategy includes investment of more than $75 million for stormwater over 10 years.
This will help increase the capacity of our networks to cater for growth and the effects of climate change, including the increasing frequency and intensity of weather events.
Due to the natural topography of our city, some areas of Rotorua are more prone to flooding than others and priority areas for stormwater upgrades include the central and western areas of the city. Council is awaiting the outcome of funding applications to the Government which, if successful, would enable us to deliver these upgrades sooner.
Staff have already spoken to Mr Baker, have contacted Mr Parnell and arranged to visit him on site and will contact Ms Rangiwhetu.
Further information re stormwater
- Council looks after 284km of urban reticulated pipelines and 153km of open drains, and services three urban areas of Rotorua (Ngongotahā, city and eastern suburbs) as well as the Reporoa land drainage scheme.
- Recent investment in stormwater infrastructure includes:
- You can read Council’s 30 Year Infrastructure Strategy here
- Read more about stormwater in Rotorua here
- Read the 2021-2031 Long-term Plan here (infrastructure info starts at page 19)
- King Street - $1.5 million invested in 2021 to improve flood control and support residential development
- Clayton Road - $2.1 million invested in 2020 to accommodate development and provide better management of stormwater during major weather events
- Linton Park - $7.5 million to rebuild the stormwater detention dam at Linton Park to enable residential growth, mitigate existing stormwater issues and prepare for the effects of climate change. This work is currently underway.
- Morey Street detention dams – in 2020 Council was granted $15 million from the Government to progress stormwater upgrades in Eastside. Planning is underway for two detention dams above Morey Street.
- Stormwater investment is the focus of applications by Rotorua Lakes Council to the Government’s Infrastructure Acceleration Fund. Initially the applications focussed on the Eastern, Western and Central areas of Rotorua. Following the first round of the application process Council is able to proceed with the Western and Central area applications which totals almost $100 million. Council is awaiting the outcome of this funding. Work outlined in the applications includes the proposed development of detention dams to manage stormwater during weather events, upgrades to the stormwater pipe networks and improvements to pump stations.
*Reporter was informed we were unable to get data re complaints today due to the relevant staff being tied up with training.