Waihī Beach Stormwater Projects

Latest news - April 2026 update

Combined Stormwater Upgrade Package

We’re about to deliver a combined package of key stormwater upgrade projects across Waihī Beach.

By grouping these works under one contract, we’ll reduce disruption for the community, complete the work more efficiently, and make better use of Council resources - from contractor coordination to bulk materials purchasing.

The contract has been awarded to RZG Isaac Group, and work is scheduled to start in late April/early May 2026 and run through to July/August 2026.

The project will start with the Beach Road boardwalk drain replacement, followed by Wilson Park and The Crescent, then the Athenree and Didsbury Drive improvements (see more detail about the projects below).

The combined package includes:

• Beach Road Boardwalk Drain Replacement - The ageing timber-lined stormwater drain beneath the boardwalk between Beach Road and Marine Avenue will be removed and replaced with a new stormwater pipe to improve drainage capacity and reduce localised flooding.
• Athenree Montessori Stormwater Improvements - Drainage upgrades near the entrance to Athenree Montessori will address localised flooding during wet weather and improve safe access for staff and tamariki. Works include reshaping the driveway entrance, widening the roadside channel, and installing a new concrete culvert pipe.
• Wilson Park and The Crescent Stormwater Improvements - These upgrades will improve how stormwater flows through Wilson Park and neighbouring areas. The work includes reshaping low points in the park, improving underground pipe connections, and installing bunds (low mounds) to help direct water during heavy rainfall.
• Didsbury Drive Stormwater Improvements - Stormwater upgrades along Didsbury Drive will improve drainage capacity and help reduce surface flooding during heavy rain, strengthening the overall performance of the local network.

Waihī Beach Earth Dam and Downstream Catchment

The earth dam was built in the 1960s as a water reservoir. It no longer meets modern safety standards, was never designed to provide flood protection, and will need to be removed. To help shape what this area could look like, we asked the community in May last year how you use the earth dam reserve and walking tracks, and what about it matters most to you. Thank you to everyone who shared feedback through Your Place and at the community event - your input continues to guide this work (see the Your Place page for more background information).

We’re now nearing the end of the feasibility stage for both the dam and the wider One Mile Creek downstream catchment, focusing on identifying practical ways to reduce flood risk.

Midway through this year, we’ll share concept designs for feedback. This will give you the opportunity to review the proposals, understand what they could achieve, and help inform next steps.

Darley Drain and Brighton Reserve

This project aims to improve stormwater capacity, reduce flooding risk, and strengthen drainage outlets across the Darley Drain catchment and surround areas, including Wallnutt Avenue, Marine Avenue, Brighton Road, Ocea View Road and Brighton Reserve.

We’ve engaged an engineering design consultant to help us explore options and develop detailed designs. Initial feasibility work is now complete, helping us understand how stormwater moves through the area and where improvements could make the biggest difference.

A preferred layout for the upgraded stormwater infrastructure has been identified, and we’re now carrying out further on-site investigations to make sure it can be delivered safely and practically. In March 2026, we began hydrovacing- a careful process that uses a controlled water jet to safely locate underground services without causing damage. This work helps us understand what’s already below ground and will inform the design options. We're also using CCTV inspections to build a clearer picture of the condition and layout of the existing stormwater network.

Once these investigations are complete and we have confirmed that the preferred alignment is feasible, the project will move into detailed design. This stage focuses on refining the design and completing safety reviews. When this work is finished, we’ll share the proposed design with the community and invite feedback.

We know the reserve, and especially the playground, is an important place for the community. We’ll do everything we can to minimise disruption during construction and keep access open wherever it’s safe to do so. Once finished, these upgrades will improve drainage, enhance safety, and help make the reserve an even better place to enjoy.

Wallnutt Avenue

The Wallnutt Avenue Stormwater Project focuses on improving how stormwater flows through the area during heavy rain. The aim is to redirect stormwater more effectively so the network can perform better and reduce surface flooding.

Once the Darley Drain and Brighton Reserve Stormwater upgrades are completed, the next stage of network improvements for Wallnutt Avenue can be carried out.

While Wallnutt Avenue is a separate project, it is closely linked to Darley Drain and Brighton Reserve work. Where possible, investigations and design work are being coordinated to improve efficiency and minimise disruption.

The on-site investigations currently underway for the Darley Drain project – including hydrovacing and CCTV inspections - will also help inform the design for Wallnutt Avenue. Using this shared information helps us develop the best design approach which reduces the need for repeat investigations.

As the project progresses, we’ll keep the community informed by sharing updates on the design, expected timeframes, and any potential impacts.

Bowentown and Pio Shores

We are improving how stormwater is managed in Bowentown and Pio Shores so the area can recover more quickly after heavy rain. This includes upgrading key parts of the stormwater network, improving how water moves through the catchment, and strengthening the dune soakage system that supports drainage in this area.

Bowentown, like the rest of Waihī Beach, has natural geography that makes stormwater management challenging. The land is very flat and low‑lying, groundwater sits close to the surface, and much of the drainage relies on the coastal dunes to absorb water. Because of this, Bowentown and Pio Shores will always experience flooding during heavy rain. Our focus is on lessening the effects as much as we can, and improving how effectively water drains away after storms.

Over the years we have carried out a number of investigations to understand how stormwater behaves in this area and where improvements would make the biggest difference. These studies confirmed that while the dune system can absorb stormwater, it can only do so at a limited rate, and that some parts of the network needed more capacity to move water away during large rainfall events. Using this information, we have upgraded pump stations and installed larger stormwater pipes to help the system perform better during and after storms.

If you would like more detail about both the January and March 2026 storms and how the system responded, our FAQs provide additional information.

As part of improving stormwater performance across Bowentown, we are currently upgrading stormwater infrastructure along Seaforth Road, which is a key route for moving water through the catchment.

We're also working with local Iwi on options to improve how stormwater is managed through the Otawhiwhi drain. Design solutions are currently being reviewed, taking into account the wider stormwater challenges across Bowentown and Pio Shores. This work recognises that Otawhiwhi drain is a low-lying point in the area and plays an important role in how stormwater moves through the catchment.

Seaforth Road

The contract for the Seaforth Road stormwater improvements has been awarded to J Swap Contractors, with construction now planned to begin in Spring 2026.

This project was originally planned to begin earlier, however delaying means we can deliver both stormwater improvements and road upgrades together. This approach avoids the need to return later for additional works and will deliver better long-term outcomes for the area.

We know that stormwater management on Seaforth Road is a real concern for many in the community. To design the best solution, we’re working with Tonkin & Taylor (T&T) and local Iwi, who bring important local and historical knowledge of the area, to identify potential improvements as part of the upgrade.

Once options are confirmed, they will be modelled to understand how they perform and any potential impacts, with the modelling part of the work expected to be completed by the end of May 2026.

Starting construction in Spring also allows us to avoid the wetter winter months, when work is more challenging, and helps ensure the project is completed before the busy summer season, reducing disruption for residents and holidaymakers who use Seaforth Road.

Background

Waihī Beach is a special town, located in a unique environment - but that environment brings its own set of challenges for the people who live there. It’s low lying, with little to no natural drainage and is close to the coastline – these factors combined make it difficult to drain stormwater away from the town during heavy rain. Because of this, some areas of Waihī Beach will always have a level of flooding.

We’re working with the Waihī Beach community to prioritise and plan a range of projects that will help provide relief from flooding within the Northern catchments of the town. Our focus is on ensuring that we’re making progress on the most important projects as quickly as possible to keep you safe. Each upgrade is aligned with our agreed 'Level of Service' which is to protect habitable floors from flooding in a 10% Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP) event or 10% likelihood of an event occurring in any given year - meaning these projects should help reduce the frequency of flooding but are unlikely to eliminate all flooding.

These webpages will be your hub for the upcoming projects aimed at safeguarding the Waihī Beach community's future, and a list of what maintenance we’re doing regularly.