Waimea Dam construction to recommence 28 April

Waimea Water Ltd (WWL) says the company and its contractors and consultants are all looking forward to recommencing construction on the 28th of April when the country enters its Alert Level 3 Covid-19 response.

WWL CEO Mike Scott says the project’s main contractor, Fulton Hogan and Taylors, is developing a Covid-19 Control Plan ahead of next week.

“Fulton Hogan and Taylors’ Covid-19 Control Plan will be based on the health and safety standards and protocols developed collectively and collaboratively by the construction industry to meet MBIE expectations.” Scott says. “The plan outlines the appropriate health and safety and physical distancing measures to ensure safety on site.”

“WWL continues to work with and oversee our contractors to ensure their systems and performance meets WWL’s requirements and the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. Similarly, we will oversee compliance with the Covid-19 control plan. Safety remains our primary concern.”

Scott says that WWL has continued to move the dam project forward during Alert Level 4.

“The wider WWL team has been very busy over the last four weeks, primarily working on required design enhancements, construction systems and records, looking at opportunities to recover schedule, and ensuring the team is ready to get back to site in Alert Level 3.”

Meanwhile, Scott also says WWL fully supports the region’s initiative to seek funds from the Government for ‘shovel-ready’ projects.

“The dam is a ‘shovel underway’ project, perfectly positioned to make the most of central Government’s Covid-19 infrastructure funding,” he says. “It is a win-win opportunity as we could add further value to the project and speed it up, while also providing job opportunities.”

“The Government has said the funding would be used for projects that will ‘enhance the productivity and the ability for our backbone industries to expand,’ which is exactly what the Waimea Community Dam is doing,” says Scott. “More than ever, the Tasman region will need the Waimea Community Dam. Primary industry, so reliant on water security, is likely to be at the forefront of the region’s and New Zealand’s recovery from potentially the greatest recession many of us will ever experience.

“We are all going to need the primary and associated secondary and tertiary industries to step up to create jobs, investment and earn export dollars,” says Scott. “Water supply and security, provided by the Waimea Community Dam, is instrumental in supporting these exporters and their employers.”

ENDS