Information on the Waitaki Street stormwater basin and Bexley estuarine wetland projects.
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Stormwater basins and new wetlands will play a significant role in the future of the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor, as we work to improve the quality of the water entering the awa, ecologically restore large areas of the land, and help the city prepare to live with sea-level rise in the future.
Waitaki Street stormwater basin
Construction of the first of a series of stormwater basins in the Regeneration Area began in April 2022, with the nine-hectare Waitaki Street flood management area (pictured above).
Situated between Anzac Drive, Pages Road and the Ōtākaro Avon River, the Waitaki St stormwater basins will catch and treat all stormwater from a large area of Bexley before it's discharged into the river.
Contractors are in the process of building a 472m-long stopbank alongside the now-closed Waitaki Street. Pending relevant consents, they will then excavate and create stormwater catchment basins, undertake landscaping, and create footpaths and walkways through the regenerated wetland area.
The Waitaki Street project is expected to take three years to complete and, once finished, will treat up to 78 per cent of rain falling on the catchment.
Bexley estuarine wetland
Estimated completion: 2027.
Budget: Approximately $25 to 30m, depending on the final design and the level of soil contamination discovered during construction.
Of all the areas in the OARC, Bexley suffered some of the worst earthquake damage. One of the most profound effects is an increased salt content in the area’s groundwater. The temporary stop-banks along the edge of the Ōtākaro Avon River in Bexley are also nearing the end of their design life.
New stop-banks will be constructed further away from the river’s edge, from south of Pages Road to Bridge Street. The temporary stop-banks will be removed to let the land flood naturally and create a new wetland.
This new wetland is included in the Regeneration Plan as an area of ecological restoration. New features we’re planning in this area include a riverside landing (as a future stage), shared path access, a protected bird roost/nesting site on the southern spit, and a small car park.
We’re also planning some forested areas at the southern end near the current Bexley wetland, as this land is higher and has less salt in the groundwater.
Work in the Bexley area will be planned in conjunction with the Pages Road Bridge project, which you will be able to provide feedback on later in 2023.
Read more information on the Bexley estaurine wetland. [PDF, 17 MB]