In order to connect existing infrastructure to the new Lockerbie plant and subdivision, Council is also upgrading the water main and pipework at the intersection of Coronation Road, Snell Street and Studholme Street over the coming months. Work is expected to start Monday 12 August and take eight weeks.

Water and wastewater manager Karl Pavlovich says a major benefit of the new plant and water main work along Studholme Street is they will greatly improve resilience of the water supply in Morrinsville. “While seasonal water conservation will still apply, the new Lockerbie plant enables us to better manage the supply and deal with issues without having to resort to emergency water restrictions like we have in recent years.”

The improvements, including the new $8.5M plant are funded through the 2021-31 Long Term Plan. In response to the extreme drought in 2020, Council brought forward plans for the construction of a new treatment plant at the Lockerbie subdivision and committed to building an additional water treatment plant in the future. The Lockerbie bore was completed in recent years and the Lockerbie treatment plant was officially opened on 9 September, supplying water to the northern households of Morrinsville.

“The new infrastructure will provide enough water in the future to support the town’s growth, and ensure there is enough water for essential use all year round,” says Pavlovich. Morrinsville previously relied on one water source and the Waterworks Road water treatment plant to supply the whole town. “We’re working hard to develop a more resilient water supply network in Morrinsville. Having the Lockerbie source allows us to continue supplying water to the town even if we have issues at the Waterworks Road plant,” he says.

The additional water supply provides greater water security but does not mean the end to water conservation restrictions. “We don’t have access to unlimited water,” says Pavlovich. “Our consents (with Waikato Regional Council) limit the amount of water we can take, and that’s why limiting its use will continue to happen when there’s a need to lower water demand. Water’s a precious resource and restrictions are part of Council’s overall water management strategy and are used to manage water demand at peak times of the year. However, we’ll be aiming to manage our water supplies to minimise level 3 and 4 restrictions in future.”

The water mains work will be carried out by our contractor Odlum Group and will require parts of Coronation Road, Snell and Studholme Streets to be closed, with detours and traffic management in place. The Coronation shops will remain open, please follow signs for directions. Regular Morrinsville road users are encouraged to view the site maps at mpdc.nz/road, plan their trips and allow more time to move through the town. There will be scheduled water shutdowns with notice given to affected households, through additional letters, Antenno and mpdc.nz/waternotices throughout construction.