As Central Hawke’s Bay District Council heads into the 2025 local body election, the shadow of a long-mooted dam follows it.

The controversial Ruataniwha Dam was first proposed about 13 years ago.

Now two of the main agitators for and against the original proposal are making a bid to return to council – one to help get a dam across the line and the other to prevent it.

Former Central Hawke’s Bay mayor and dam advocate Tim Gilbertson says the dam is one of the main reasons he wants a seat back at the Central Hawke’s Bay District Council table.

Former Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) councillor Paul Bailey, who is making a re-election bid for HBRC, remains opposed to it.

The dam’s current status

Mike Petersen, chair of what is now called the Tukituki Water Security Project (TWSP), says they have secured enough capital investment to get the feasibility and commercial business case development under way for a dam.

“This unlocks the Government funding through the Regional Investment Fund,” Petersen said.

“We have also been laying the foundations to ensure we meet the deadline of 15-18 months to complete this key phase.

“One of the critical pieces is securing the best talent in the country, and we are excited to confirm Mike Scott, who recently finished up as CEO of Waimea Water, after successfully designing, constructing and commissioning its dam, has agreed to lead our work.”

The group has access to the Intellectual Property purchased by Water Holdings Hawke’s Bay for the old Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme, including consents.

However, he said a lot of the Ruataniwha work was now more than 10 years old, and some rework was required.

“We have mapped out the consenting pathway and the first piece of work is securing the Department of Conservation land that sits in the dam footprint. This process is well under way with pre-engagement meetings.”

Anti dam ... here’s why

Former Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) councillor Paul Bailey, who is making a re-election bid, remains opposed to the dam.

Bailey says water security remains one of the critical issues facing Hawke’s Bay, and in his view, HBRC, which put $20m of funds into the original failed dam’s development, should only act as a regulator of any water storage schemes.

“The 2023 Regional Water Assessment (RWA) report is often quoted to drive change in behaviour and to support the building of further water storage dams,” Bailey said.

But Bailey says it has shortfalls, including not breaking down future water shortages into catchments and lumping Hawke’s Bay together.

“The challenges for CHB are different from Heretaunga and Waiora.

“CHB has a land use challenge with approximately 45% used by a handful of dairy farms. This has led to water availability inequities and an increase in nitrogen levels in the Ruataniwha aquifer.

“It’s why I remain opposed to the dam. CHB does not have a water security issue, it has a land use issue. I would advocate for a review of these water consents with a view to reallocating this water to more sustainable uses.”

While he supports a proposed Whanawhana dam, on the Ngaruroro River in principle, he said it was only a stopgap measure, and HBRC’s focus should be on water use efficiency gains.

“I would not support any proposal to pour ratepayer money into water storage schemes,” Bailey said.

The cost of the study for the Whanawhana dam would be about $3.2 million, shared by HBRC and Central Government and supported by a 2020 loan from the Provincial Growth Fund. The spend is budgeted for in HBRC’s long-term plan.

Pro dam - the argument for

Tim Gilbertson says the dam is one of the main reasons he wants a seat back at the Central Hawke’s Bay District Council’s table.

Gilbertson, who is the founder of Water Holdings HB, disagrees.

“Water is a huge issue and I’ll be advocating for the dam,” he said.

“Everyone knows HBRC, the government, and local councils are saying we need water storage, we need to do something, and no one has come up with an alternative to a dam.”

He said the debate on water had become “skewed, misinformed and basically hijacked”.

“There’s been a severe failure of leadership over water. The really infuriating thing is HBRC has budgeted $3 million for the Whanawhana dam.

“It makes absolutely no sense when they have the option of getting 20 million cubic meters from the CHB dam, to put millions into another dam that’s not consented when the answer is right in front of their face.”

How do CHB candidates view the dam

Against

Te Ata Kura Huata is against the dam.

Amiria Nepe-Apatu said it would elevate “intensive dairy farming, increasing pollution in our waterways. It has cost the taxpayer and ratepayer millions. It should be laid to rest”.

Todd Chote says ratepayers’ money should go to projects that benefit the community, not private businesses.

For

Murray Kenderdine said it was essential for CHB’s future, on a user-pays basis.

Unclear or somewhere in between

Gerard Minehan supports some of the dam, but not with the use of ratepayers’ money. “CHB residents are already facing significant stress through higher rates and other financial challenges.”

Stella McDonald said she couldn’t answer when there were no precise details available. “If I am voted in, my actions will be dictated by the opinions of the people of CHB.”

Graham Stubbs said he would neither agree nor disagree, but it was his understanding it would go ahead.

While Ben Revell supports it, he doesn’t agree to ratepayers funding it. “CHB needs water supply and some control over it.”

Simon Collin says it was hard to comment until there was an independent report into the dam. “The council is not in a position to put funds into it, but I am pro water storage, where viable.”

Meg Gordon is against the old project. “The Tukituki Water Security Project is under review, so no one knows what the outcome will be.”

Kate Taylor said it was not a council project.

Kelly Annand, Jerry Greer, Brent Muggeridge, Pip Burne, Kirsty Lawrence and Jenny Nelson-Smith did not respond.

(Responses abridged)

Timeline

Attempts to get a dam on the Makaroro River off the ground have been mired in controversy since it was first supported by HBRC more than a decade ago.

It was abandoned in 2018 after a Supreme Court ruling that protected conservation land could not be flooded for the dam.

But in 2024, the new attempt to get it off the ground was included in the Government‘s list of projects to be considered under fast-track legislation.

On October 31, 2024, the CHB District Council voted to endorse a Hawke’s Bay Community Water Trust Deed, which could help revive it. The trust’s purpose is to explore water security in Central Hawke’s Bay.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.