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- Client
- Buller District Council
- Location
- Westport, West Coast
- Services
- EnvironmentalGeotechnical engineeringCivil engineering
- Status
- Completed in 2024
The Brief
As part of ongoing development planning to improve the reliability of Westport’s water supply, Buller District Council (BDC), with funding from the National Emergency Management Fund, began investigating alternative water sources.
They sought a solution that would support future growth, be cost-effective to implement and maintain, and avoid high-risk or hard-to-access options.
We were initially engaged to undertake a desktop study to identify alternative groundwater and surface water sources. Our report was presented to BDC in person and showed 22 potentially viable options that could be investigated further.
With a solid understanding of the project and client’s objectives, we were subsequently asked to complete a high-level pre-feasibility review of their two preferred options:
- A shallow groundwater take from old, buried river channels, which are expected to occur close to the west bank of the Buller River; and
- A surface water take from Mountain Creek approximately 12 km south-southwest of Westport.
Challenges Identified
The biggest challenge in completing our high-level pre-feasibility review was the lack of available data. Several studies had considered alternative water sources for Westport, but most of these looked at options on the east bank of the Buller River.
What We Did
Through a combination of technical expertise, research and local knowledge, we explored the two preferred options, looking at the local geology and surface water catchments; water quality; flood hazard impacts; as well as the estimated cost to convey water from the sources, provide compliant treatment and distribute it to the town reticulation.
Key Deliverables
The outcome was a report that provided BDC with concise information about each of the potential options and recommended next steps.
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