Building water security for our region’s future
Recent news stories about the Dam project.
September 2024 – Quarterly Report
The Quarterly Report for the period ending 30 September 2024 is now online. It includes information and updates about the operations of the Waimea Community Dam. Click to read the September 2024 Quarterly Report.
2024 Annual Report
The Waimea Water Ltd Annual Report for the year ending 30 June 2024 has been published. It provides an overview of the project and a summary of progress achieved in the financial year, covering the dam’s transition from… Read More
Statement of Intent – 2024-2025
The Statement of Intent (SOI) for the 2024-2025 financial year is now online. The SOI provides the scope, objectives, intentions and activities of Waimea Water Ltd for the period 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025, with forecast capital… Read More
March 2024 – Quarterly Report
The Quarterly Report for the period ending 31 March 2024 is now online. It includes information and updates about health, safety and wellbeing, construction, operational readiness, public affairs and the environmental and biodiversity programme. It also provides an… Read More
May 2024 Newsletter
Since the beginning of the year, our focus has been on completing the dam so it could provide water for the region during this very dry summer and autumn season. On Saturday 2 March the first water was… Read More
Waimea Community Dam Running Second Phase of Valve Testing: April 9 and 10, 2024
People are asked to be cautious and preferably stay away from the Lee, Wairoa and Waimea rivers during a second phase of valve tests on Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 April, as river levels will rise because of… Read More
Waimea Community Dam To Test Valves:
PEOPLE ASKED TO BE CAUTIOUS AND TO PREFERABLY STAY AWAY FROM THE RIVER People are asked to be cautious and preferably stay away from the Lee, Wairoa and Waimea rivers for three days from lunchtime Thursday 4 April,… Read More
Testing of cone valves commences: 4th-6th April
From the afternoon of Thursday 4 to Saturday 6 April, the Waimea Community Dam will be testing the large valves that release water into the river, meaning the Lee, Wairoa and Waimea rivers will rise during this time…. Read More
Waimea Community Dam Starts Operations
Waimea Water Ltd (WWL) has commenced releasing water from the reservoir to support relief from the worsening drought as the dry and warm summer conditions continue. On Saturday 2 March 2024, water from the reservoir was released through… Read More
Check out the March dam showcase at the Richmond Mall
Waimea Water is returning to the Richmond Mall this March and April. Please stop in at the mall to learn more about the latest at the Waimea Community Dam. See the latest photos and videos, and pick up… Read More
December 2023 – Mid-Year Report
The Mid-Year Report for the period ending 31 December 2023 is now online. It includes information and updates about health, safety and wellbeing, construction, operational readiness, and the environmental and biodiversity programme. It also provides the unaudited financial… Read More
Waimea Community Dam Reservoir is full
Te Kurawai o Pūhanga, the reservoir behind the Waimea Community Dam, reached its full capacity and the spillway commenced flowing on Sunday 21 January 2024. “This is a momentous milestone for the project, and I thank all those… Read More
September 2023 Quarterly Report
The Quarterly Report for the period ending 30 September 2023 is now online. It includes information and updates about health, safety and wellbeing, construction progress, operational readiness, and the environmental and biodiversity programme. It also provides an outline… Read More
2023 Annual Report
The Waimea Water Ltd Annual Report for the year ending 30 June 2023 has been published. It provides an overview of the project and a summary of progress achieved in the financial year, covering the areas of health,… Read More
You’re invited to the October dam showcase at the Richmond Mall
Waimea Water is returning to the Richmond Mall this October. From Tuesday 3 October stop in at the mall to learn more about the Waimea Community Dam, see the latest photos and videos, and pick up a physical… Read More
Waimea Community Dam spring 2023 update
As the spring rain arrives, the Waimea Community Dam reservoir is starting to fill in stages. The dam is performing as expected and, with sufficient rainfall over the next few months, we expect to provide water to shareholders… Read More
Waimea Community Dam ready for spring rainfall
Testing at the Waimea Community Dam has been progressing through the winter, and Waimea Water Ltd expects to commence filling the reservoir imminently, now that the sealing concrete plug and isolating valve have been installed. The dam, a… Read More
Statement of Intent – 2023-2024
The Statement of Intent (SOI) for the 2023-2024 financial year is now online. The SOI provides the scope, objectives, intentions and activities of Waimea Water Ltd for the period 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024, with forecast capital… Read More
March 2023 Quarterly Report
The Quarterly Report for the period ending 31 March 2023 is now online. It includes information and updates about health, safety and wellbeing, construction progress, operational readiness, and the environmental and biodiversity programme. It also provides an outline… Read More
Waimea Community Dam reservoir ready to fill up
The Waimea Community Dam achieved an important milestone at 4pm last Friday (26 May) when the reservoir was closed, ready for filling. The Waimea Community Dam, a public private partnership between the Tasman District Council and Waimea Irrigators,… Read More
December 2022 – Mid-Year Report
The Mid-Year Report for the period ending 31 December 2022 is now online. It includes information and updates about health, safety and wellbeing, project design, construction progress, the programme of works, and the environmental and biodiversity programme. It… Read More
February 2023 Newsletter
This year will be significant for the Waimea Community Dam, as we look to close the dam and start filling the reservoir from autumn. Commissioning is planned for spring, so the dam can start providing much-needed water security… Read More
September 2022 Quarterly Report
The Quarterly Report for the period ending 30 September 2022 is now online. It includes information and updates about health, safety and wellbeing, project design, construction progress, the programme of works, and the environmental and biodiversity programme. It… Read More
2022 Annual Report
The Waimea Water Ltd Annual Report for the year ending 30 June 2022 has been published. It provides an overview of the project and a summary of progress achieved in the financial year, covering the areas of health,… Read More
Join the virtual video tour
The Waimea Community Dam is located far up the Lee Valley. Its location, and the fact it is a worksite, means we are unable to host the public at the site. So, to show you around, our team… Read More
March 2022 Quarterly Report
The Quarterly Report for the period ending 31 March 2022 is now online. It includes information and updates about health, safety and wellbeing, project design, construction progress and the programme of works, community engagement, and costs and risks…. Read More
April 2022 dam update
The Waimea Community Dam is now more than 70% complete, and as long as COVID-19 and the weather isn’t too disruptive, construction will be finished in a few months and the reservoir will be ready for filling in… Read More
Latest construction video
Click here to watch this video to see timelapse video of construction as it happened, and CAD animation of its completion and the filling of the reservoir.
Waimea Community Dam cost revised due to encountered geology and inflation
The encountered geology, high inflation, and global supply chain issues have resulted in a reforecast of the cost to build the Waimea Community Dam. Waimea Water Limited (WWL) will report in its mid-year report for the 2022 financial… Read More
September 2021 Newsletter
On 23 August, construction of the Waimea Community Dam was allowed to resume under COVID-19 alert Level 4, in a controlled and gradual manner and, of course, in strict accordance with Level 4 operational protocols. The Ministry of… Read More
Waimea Community Dam to resume construction in Level 4
Waimea Water Ltd CEO Mike Scott said MBIE has authorised the construction of the Waimea Community Dam to resume during Level 4. Scott said works at the site would re-commence on Monday 23rd August. MBIE has approved the… Read More
Encountered geological challenges and COVID-19 lead to dam cost increase
25 February, 2021 WWL CEO Mike Scott informed Shareholders on Monday and Councillors on Thursday in the company’s six-month update, that significant progress had been made in the construction of the Waimea Dam, with it now being approximately… Read More
Waimea Water Ltd is working to recover time on the dam construction schedule
Waimea Water Ltd CEO Mike Scott says the company is working closely with the dam contractor on how the contractor might gain back time on the construction schedule, so that the dam can be built as swiftly and… Read More
TDC Council Meeting and Public Info Session. 3 December
TDC Council Meeting 3 December2020
TDC Council Meeting Presentation 10 September 2020
TDC Council Meeting 10 September 2020
September Newsletter
The months since our last newsletter have been busy and successful for the project, despite facing challenges. We are pleased to report that the Waimea Community Dam is now close to 40 per cent complete. Read the latest… Read More
Waimea Community Dam Culvert Blessing Marks Significant Milestone
Today, the Waimea Community Dam Diversion Culvert was blessed by Ngāti Koata, marking a significant milestone in the construction of the region’s dam. The ceremony, scaled down due to this week’s COVID-19 levels, was attended by the Waimea… Read More
Experienced director Margaret Devlin joins Waimea Water Ltd Board
The Tasman District Council has appointed Institute of Directors’ Chartered Fellow Margaret Devlin to the Waimea Water Ltd (WWL) Board. Devlin’s appointment comes after Karen Jordan stepped down from the Board in February, with Board Member David Wright… Read More
2020/21 Statement of Intent Released
Waimea Water Limited publishes updated 2020/21 Statement of Intent Waimea Water Limited (WWL) has published its updated Statement of Intent (SOI) for the new financial year starting today. The purpose of the SOI is to provide the scope,… Read More
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… Read More
April Newsletter
Kia ora koutou shareholders, stakeholders, supporters and those interested in the Waimea Community Dam. After good progress in 2019, the start of 2020 has proved challenging. We first encountered issues with mined rockfill in January 2020, and then… Read More
Coronavirus: Work stops on site of Waimea dam project
Construction of the Nelson’s Waimea dam has come to a halt as the nation went into lockdown to combat the coronavirus pandemic. “We are suspending work,” said Waimea Water Ltd chief executive Mike Scott. “It’s clearly going to… Read More
COVID-19 Update No 1: 25 March 2020
Effective this evening and in accordance with central Government’s directive to shut down all non-essential business and work, WWL will suspend work on the Waimea Community Dam until we have confirmation from the Ministry of Business Innovation &… Read More
Revised construction cost and timeframe for Waimea Dam announced
Waimea Water Ltd (WWL) says the forecast cost and timeframe for the build of the Waimea Community Dam have been revised after encountering unforeseen geological conditions. The projected new cost is $129.4 million and there is now a… Read More
Rock issues cause ‘speed bump’ for Waimea dam
Rock may be imported for part of the embankment of the Waimea Community Dam, which is under construction in the Lee Valley, near Nelson. Under the original plan, excavated rock from the build site was to be used… Read More
First 120t Mantis tele in NZ – CRANES TODAY
Tadano has delivered the first GTC-1200 into New Zealand to Fulton Hogan, a civil construction company servicing Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific since 1933. The 120t telescopic crawler will be placed on a Fulton Hogan/Taylors Joint… Read More
To rock or not? – WAIMEA WEEKLY
The Waimea Community Dam is being built, and last week Waimea Weekly published mayoral candidate Maxwell Clark’s argument about it. ‘Two drilling companies have been drilling on separate occasions for six weeks each. They have been unable to… Read More
Waimea dam build on track, rock found at site – NELSON MAIL
Bedrock has been found at the site of Waimea dam build in the Lee Valley, about 36km south-east of Nelson. Waimea Water Ltd chief executive Mike Scott said the geology at the site was as expected, even better… Read More
Waimea dam project divides Tasman mayoral and Richmond Ward candidates – NELSON MAIL
The Waimea dam project caused a division on Wednesday evening at a meet-the-candidates gathering for Tasman district mayoral and Richmond Ward hopefuls. More than 100 people filled Richmond Town Hall to listen to the four mayoral candidates –… Read More
Council quick to hush alarm over potential multi-million dollar liability to Tasman ratepayers – 1 NEWS
The Waimea Community Dam project in Tasman has yet again become the subject of controversy, with questions raised over its risk to ratepayers in the future. Work to build the 53-metre-high concrete-face rock filled dam is underway, with Waimea… Read More
Potential ratepayer liabilities of $100m revealed for Waimea dam project – NELSON MAIL
Tasman district ratepayers face potential liabilities of about $100 million for the Waimea dam project – on top of $29m in credit support already disclosed. Information released under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) reveals… Read More
Waimea dam project legacy spills over into 2019 Tasman District Council elections – NELSON MAIL
The controversial Waimea dam project was a hot topic of the 2016 Tasman District Council elections and it seems little has changed in 2019. A query on the $104.4 million dam, now under construction in the Lee Valley, was the first… Read More
Digging starts for Waimea Community Dam – WAIMEA WEEKLY
Building a more secure water future for Tasman is the goal of all those gathered at the Waimea Community Dam Lee Valley site, for the project’s ground-breaking ceremony, on Friday last. “Today is a very important milestone because… Read More
Ground-breaking milestone for Waimea Community Dam project – NELSON MAIL
There was excitement in spades for backers of the Waimea Community Dam with Friday’s ground-breaking ceremony signalling the start of excavation on the controversial $104.4 million project. It will take twice as long as initially expected and cost four times as much to construct,… Read More
Excavation work poised to start for Waimea Dam project – NELSON MAIL
Excavation work is set to begin in August on the multimillion-dollar Waimea dam project in the Lee Valley, about 36km south-east of Nelson. The geology at the site has been identified as one of the major risks for… Read More
Waimea dam project well on the road – NELSON MAIL
Published Friday 21 June Work on the massive Waimea dam project is progressing well with the access road half-completed, says the company building it. Waimea Water Ltd chief executive Mike Scott on Thursday presented Tasman District Council with a six-month… Read More
Waimea Water pumped and ready for more action – WAIMEA WEEKLY
Published Wednesday 5 June 2019 With construction of the $104 million Waimea Community Dam in the Lee Valley now well underway, Waimea Water Ltd (WWL) now has their full complement of key staff in place with a specialist… Read More
Waimea water brings exec home – FARMERS WEEKLY NZ
Published Thursday 9 May 2019 Australia’s vast and remote northwestern gas reserves are removed in many ways from a provincial New Zealand dam project but Waimea Water’s new chief executive Mike Scott maintains the same principles of good… Read More
Waimea Water boss pumped to be part of ‘legacy’ dam project – NELSON MAIL
Published Thursday 9 May 2019 The multimillion-dollar Waimea dam project is set up for success, according to the boss of the company that will manage its construction, operation and maintenance. Mike Scott took up the role as Waimea… Read More
Waimea Water selects CEO
A chief executive officer and two board directors have been appointed by Waimea Water Limited (WWL), the council-controlled organisation responsible for building and operating the Waimea Community Dam. Mike Scott will start as Chief Executive Officer with WWL… Read More
TDC says yes to water for 100 years
28 June 2018 Richmond, Mapua, Brightwater, and Wakefield residents and businesses will have access to water year-round with the Tasman District Council’s continued commitment today to fund the construction of the Waimea Community Dam. Securing a supply of… Read More
Government irrigation announcement benefits dam
Thu, 31 Aug 2017 Today’s announcement on Crown Irrigation providing concessionary loans to councils who factor environmental improvements into their irrigation schemes is welcome news for the Waimea Community Dam scheme, says Waimea Water’s John Hutton. Minister for… Read More
Funding for dam means a healthier Waimea River
Tue, 8 Aug 2017 The Government’s $7 million investment in the Waimea Community Dam Project through a Freshwater Investment Fund grant is testament to the significant role the Dam will have in improving the health of the Waimea… Read More
Updated economic report shows potential dam benefits at $923M
Tue, 1 Aug 2017 A July 2017 updated economic impact assessment shows the economic benefit of the Waimea Community Dam to the Nelson Tasman region could be as high as $923 million over the next 25 years at… Read More
Waimea Community Dam Decided as Best Solution
Fri, 28 Jul 2017 Yesterday’s Tasman District Council decision to re-confirm the Waimea Community Dam as the only viable solution to water security issues is welcome news for urban residents, farmers on the Waimea Plains, and regional businesses… Read More
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