Infrastructure Strategy It is difficult to accurately estimate how long underground assets (including pipes) will automatic valves which close when they detect significant ground movement and remain serviceable. Good information on pipe bursts, levels of leakage and pipe prevent water from leaking away through ruptured pipes. condition assessments assist in developing an effective, targeted renewal programme. Significant progress is being made in data collection and analysis. Impacts of earthquakes New technology The new standards and materials will reduce the impacts of an earthquake. However, scientists are predicting the occurrence of a large event which will cause significant New technologies will be able to assist with pipe condition assessment. Ultrasound damage — partly because there is a legacy of older assets and partly because scanning and laser measurements from remote sensors inserted into the water mains structures can be built to be earthquake resistant but cannot be made earthquake can take very accurate measurements of the pipe wall thickness and the depth of any proof. corrosion present. The measurements can be used to predict the life expectancy of the pipes. These assessments can be undertaken relatively easily, without interrupting the Insurance water supply and without costly excavations. In addition, pipe rehabilitation and renewal using 'low-dig' techniques can significantly reduce the costs and disruption The Council constantly reviews its insurance strategy in the light of new scientific involved in replacing worn out pipes. research, a changing infrastructure base and an ever-changing insurance market. The Council prefers to avoid damage to the infrastructure through good engineering but Installation of smart meters will make it much easier to identify where leaks are there will always be a residual risk, and insurance can help to meet this financial occurring in the water pipes carrying water between the mains and individual liability. households. 2. Options to respond to each of these identified Currently the specialist skills and equipment required to undertake these works are not challenges, and implications of these options readily available locally but are becoming more widespread in New Zealand. They and will become more competitively priced as the market develops. The costs of deploying 2.1 Drinking water standards national/international specialist companies to the region to undertake contract works Option Implications can be reduced by larger contracts, for example shared services contracts with other councils, or comprehensive contracts for one supplier. PREFERRED Benefits OPTION All of the Council owned water supplies will meet the high 1.4 Earthquake risk Complete existing standards for clean and safe drinking water. We know from Christchurch’s experience that some of the older pipe materials water treatment This approach extends a funding option which currently has (particularly asbestos cement and cast iron) do not perform well following earthquake plant upgrades for community acceptance (the principle of capital costs being met ground shaking and liquefaction. Seddon, Renwick, by the region and operational costs by the target community is and Havelock, and included in the LTP 2015-2025). New pipe materials such as PVC, and particularly polyethylene, are more resistant to install treatment to ground shaking and ground deformation than the older, more brittle, materials. There is Riverlands & Wairau Costs a considerable legacy of asbestos cement and cast iron pipes that may be regarded as Valley and point-of- less resistant. This is particularly the case for the Awatere water supply as the scheme entry treatment for The combined capital costs of the water treatment plants for was first installed in 1947 when asbestos cement was a popular pipe material. each property in Seddon, Renwick, Havelock, Riverlands, Rural Awatere and Awatere Rural. Wairau Valley is in excess of $24.6 million. (This figure All the new water infrastructure — treatment plants, reservoirs, pump stations and excludes the cost of ancillary plant such as reservoirs, new pipelines are being built to the latest design standards. These performed well in the bores and pumps.) November 2016 earthquake and other previous events. Direct operational costs are approximately $600k per annum and a further $1M per annum of depreciation costs (excluding Older reservoirs at the Cloudy Bay Business Park and Wither Hills have been finance costs and insurances). strengthened to increase their resilience. The main reservoirs have been fitted with 2018-2028 Long Term Plan Page 189