Hanmer Springs water network has room to grow

Kaikōura Hurunui Water Services (KHWS) can confirm the Hanmer Springs water supply network will have enough capacity to support the town's current wave of development – with room for at least 850 connections before any additional upgrades are needed.

The assessment was commissioned after several sizeable developments sprang up in recent years around Argelins Road and Woodbank Road, on top of network improvement work carried out following a 2021 study. With growth continuing, KHWS wanted a clear, up-to-date picture of exactly how much capacity was left in the pipes before residents and developers felt any impact.

Detailed computer modelling of the network's headworks, reservoirs and pipes was run by the Project Delivery Unit at Waimakariri District Council. The verdict: the system can comfortably absorb the roughly 800 connections expected from known developments in the area, with a further buffer of about 50 connections on top of that.

The modelling also gave KHWS a clear picture of where the network's pressure points are. A handful of properties near Acheron Heights and around Thomas Hanmer Drive and Caverhill Crescent sit at lower elevations, which naturally means lower water pressure at the tap. These are long-standing, elevation-related characteristics of a gravity-fed network rather than new problems, and they're already well understood and being planned for.

Importantly, the assessment means Hanmer Springs' growth can continue now, with confidence, while KHWS gets on with the longer-term planning. Next steps include a further growth investigation to properly weigh up upgrade options – from pumping and reservoir upgrades to reconfiguring parts of the network – ensuring the town's water supply keeps pace as Hanmer Springs continues to thrive.

"This is exactly the kind of proactive planning our community expects," said KHWS Chief Executive Ben Day. "We want Hanmer Springs to keep growing with confidence, knowing its water infrastructure is being carefully managed well ahead of need."

KHWS will continue to keep the Hanmer Springs community updated as the next phase of investigation gets underway, alongside modelling and costing for the construction of reservoir of up to 2 million litres in Hanmer for construction 2027/28.