Council sells failed Ruataniwha dam science for $100,000

Monday, 2 July 2018

A proposed before and after look of the failed Ruataniwha dam project.

Three Hawke's Bay residents say they have purchased rights to the failed Ruataniwha dam project for the Central Hawke's Bay community.

On Monday it was announced that Hawke's Bay Regional Council, via its investment company HBRIC, had sold the rights to the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme to Water Holdings CHB, for $100,000.

Water Holdings CHB consists of three director-shareholders, Gavin Streeter, Hugh Ritchie and Timothy Gilbertson.

The sale followed the council calling for expressions of interest to purchase all or part of the consents and intellectual property (IP) associated with the scheme.

**READ MORE:

Regional council chairman Rex Graham said the decision came down to a 'solid offer'. (File photo)

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A screenshot from an animated video of the Ruataniwha dam proposal.

Streeter, who lives in Havelock North but works in Waipawa, said he wanted to keep the project moving.

'There is a big water shortage problem in the district and also on the Heretaunga Plains, and I'd be a fool if I didn't commit some time and energy to pursuing and seeing what's available within the IP,' he said.

'I want to re-energise the discussion around water in Central Hawke's Bay … I'm not acting from my own interest here, I'm acting from a community interest.'

Regional council chairman Rex Graham said he was not surprised at the sale.

He hoped the trio would 'use it wisely'.

In 2016 Greenpeace protested against the dam outside the Hawke's Bay Regional Council chambers.

The council did not have any expectations going into the call for expressions of interest. In the end, the decision came down to the 'solid offer', he said.

Streeter said the project would have to be driven by the community.

'Sometimes you've got to step up and lead it. I don't stand to financially gain from this, I just think that water storage is a good idea and it's got to be done with the environment in mind.

'I was gutted to see the project stopped and I'll do everything I can to carry on water options.'

Streeter said he, Ritchie and Gilbertson went thirds on the price.

'We've just purchased 10 years of work, so the goal is really to sit back, take stock of what we've purchased, engage with some good people and see what we can achieve.

'Not doing anything is not an option so we're committed to doing something with it.'

Central Hawke's Bay Mayor Alex Walker said she was 'thrilled' with the purchase.

The regional council spent several years and about $20 million planning the scheme to irrigate drought-prone land on the Ruataniwha Plains.

It chose not to invest more following a Supreme Court decision not to allow the exchange of Department of Conservation land required for the construction of the dam and associated reservoir.