Govt rejects plea to fund 'safety valve' in Westport's flood protection plan

Tuesday, 19 March 2024

Westport residents are living in fear of their next flood because planned flood protection could turn the town into “a bathtub without any plug” if essential stormwater pumps are not included.

The Government is refusing to pay $12 million for a critical and potentially life-saving part of Westport’s flood protection plans, leaving the town’s residents extremely vulnerable, Buller mayor Jamie Cleine says.

The former Government granted $22.9m last year for flood protection, including a series of walls to ring-fence the town, and said stormwater would be funded through Three Water reforms that have since been scrapped by the current Government.

Almost half of Westport’s 4500-odd residents had to evacuate their homes during flooding in July 2021, an event that left almost 500 properties swamped. Another heavy rain event in February 2022 damaged roads, bridges, Westport’s water supply, and 70 farms.

Local Hugh McMillan, who lives and works within the planned walls, said the town needed stormwater upgrades too.

“It is going to rain inside the walls as well as outside … and that water has to get pumped out.”

He said the stormwater drains were unable to cope and exacerbated flooding in many parts of the town during past heavy rain events.

“It needs fixing and the ratepayers can’t afford it. The wall is funded but if we don’t do the stormwater upgrades at the same time it means there is no safety valve. The town will be a bathtub,” he said.

Westport’s shared working space co-founder, Tash Barnes-Dellaca, said the uncertainty was a huge issue for locals.

“For us and our staff not knowing if our homes are safe, it’s a really big deal. I think having successive Governments go back and forth is confusing to locals.”

She believed the flood protection walls were a short to medium-term solution and the Government should be leading discussion on the national issue of managed retreat due to climate change.

Cleine said he was disappointed when Local Government Minister Simeon Brown rejected his plea to fund the work.

He told Brown, in a letter, that there were significant benefits to the community from Three Waters reform.

“The community lack the means to cover this essential cost and its completion … is critical for the system to work effectively and safely. This is an urgent matter for your attention,” he wrote.

Brown responded that the council had primary responsibility for flood risk management and for water services infrastructure.

In a statement to The Press, Brown said councils should with other councils, and investigate funding options “including contributions from the private sector who will benefit from flood protection”.

Cleine said ratepayers were facing a rates rise of more than 20% and already paying $2309 each per year for drinking and wastewater - more than elsewhere in the South Island, including Christchurch where residents paid $1100 each.

He said the stormwater upgrade could be the difference between life and death for some residents.

“It’s like building a bathtub without any plug.”