About UsMaungatapere Water Co.
The Maungatapere Irrigation Scheme had its inception in the early 1980s, a time when the government was actively promoting regional development and irrigation schemes were a very effective mean of achieving this. A group of landowners in conjunction with the Ministry of Works and Development initiated a feasibility study into the establishment of an irrigation scheme in the Maungatapere district.
In April 1988 the scheme received government approval and was gazetted in December 1988. The scheme was one of, if not the last to receive approval under the old rules for the development and operation of irrigation schemes.
In December 1987 the government decided to divest itself of ownership and operation of irrigation schemes and to sell these to irrigators as a first preference. Treasury was appointed to oversee the sales process for individual irrigation schemes.
The Maungatapere Water Company is a co-operative company owned by shareholders who are also landowners in the district. Initially the company was created to purchase the partially constructed scheme from the Crown and to complete its construction. The company now operates and manages the Maungatapere Irrigation Scheme for the benefit of its water users.
The scheme has been designed and constructed to supply irrigation water to 1500 hectares of land within the scheme’s boundaries. Currently there are 207 properties being supplied with water from the scheme and there are approximately 760 hectares planted within the district, predominantly avocados and kiwifruit with other crops such as persimmons, tamarillos and citrus.
Every effort has been made to construct a low maintenance scheme. The scheme allows for water to be supplied on demand and in variable quantities to all areas.
The scheme has three sources of water, downstream from the Poroti Springs, the Wairua River and the Maunu Dam. The scheme consists of 65 km of main reticulation pipelines feeding a similar service network to individual properties. There are seven pump sheds situated around the district to reticulate the water. The scheme relies on run of stream and has no storage capacity apart from seven reservoirs which range in size from 2200m3 to small reservoirs of 200m3. These provide a limited buffer and act as header tanks for the pumping network. The scheme is computer controlled and all water pumped and supplied is measured by water meters at individual pump sheds and at the boundaries of individual property owners.
Water Supply Policy
The Purpose of the Policy
- To heighten the water user’s awareness to the danger of drinking this water.
The Purpose of Supplying this Water
- The company only supplies water to the boundary of the water user’s property for rural irrigation, agricultural and general farming purposes in accordance with the terms and conditions of the water supply agreement between the company and water user.
The Source of the Water
- The company sources its water from three diverse locations downstream from the Poroti Springs, the Wairua River and the Maunu Dam. This water is known to contain faecal contamination.
- The water supplied is not fit for human consumption and the water user is responsible for the treatment of the water on their property, if required, to comply with crop or food safety standards.
Further Information
- Visit the Company website www.mpewaterco.co.nz
