Horowhenua StarWaitārere Beach resident Greg Chapman is warning parents and caregivers with toddlers to be mindful of the dangers of large ponds being created in the dunes by stormwater outlets.
With the coastline accruing at a rate of more than a metre each year, stormwater outlets at the beach get farther from the shoreline over time. Unless they are periodically lengthened, dunes build up naturally between the sea and the end of the pipe, creating artificial ponds more than a metre deep with steep banks.
Greg Chapman, who says stormwater pipes at Waitārere Beach need extending. Photo Paul Williams
On seeing the potential for peril, Greg says he has approached Horowhenua District Council and is hoping to see remedial work included in upcoming works schedule.
“It’s dangerous. I am concerned. I do worry that delayed extension of these stormwater pipes could lead to a potential tragedy, especially with the number of young children that use the path,” he says.
There is one outlet in particular next to a public accessway walkway, to the northern end of the beach. It was installed to divert stormwater from new housing developments out to sea in heavy rainfall, but he says it’s overdue for an extension.
In severe rain, stormwater will force a new path to the sea, but it doesn’t take long for new dunes to form again and create a new pond.
“Waitārere Beach is a popular spot, and it’s only going to become more so,” he says.
Horowhenua District Council community infrastructure group manager Daniel Haigh says some Waitārere Beach stormwater outlets were extended in 2018.
“We are now investigating whether further extensions are feasible without compromising the stormwater-carrying capacity of the pipes, as some outlets may not have enough gradient to allow this,” he says.
Daniel says just last week an engineer surveyed the northern-most outlet as part of this investigation, as it has been getting blocked more frequently.
“Depending on the survey results, we may either extend the pipe where feasible, or raise it, including upstream sections, to prevent it from becoming buried by sand and driftwood during high tides.
“We’re not aware of any hazards caused by large ponds forming near stormwater outlets to the beach.
“If residents have photos or other evidence of this, we would ask them to contact council directly.”
Paul Williams is editor of the Horowhenua Star
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