The Gore District Council has unveiled plans for a multi-million dollar upgrade of its East Gore water treatment plant and centralising the treatment of water for Gore.  

The entire project will cost an estimated $10.8 million, a feature of which will be a new $3.7 million new bridge across the Mataura River to carry water pipelines from the East Gore plant to the Jacobstown wells. The bridge, which will be located about 650m upstream from the existing traffic bridge, will also provide a link for cyclists and pedestrians.

Gore District Mayor Tracy Hicks said providing a safe and reliable drinking water supply to urban residents has been a priority for the council for many years. 

It was pleasing that after years of investigating options and planning, the council was ready to deliver on its promise and provide Gore residents with water that met New Zealand Drinking Water Standards (NZDWS), he said.

“Since the Havelock North incident, where the urban water supply was contaminated and thousands of people became ill, there has been increasing pressure on councils to ensure their water supplies comply with NZDWS.”

An upgrade of the Mataura water supply was also in the council’s sights, following implementation of this project, Mr Hicks said. 

The Gore project involves:

• A membrane filtration treatment plant built at the site of the East Gore treatment plant, in Wentworth Street

• Water treatment for all of Gore centralised at East Gore, instead of split between East Gore and Hilbre Avenue 

• Construction of a bridge across the Mataura River to attach the new water pipelines linking East Gore with the Jacobstown Wells and Hilbre Ave reservoir.

The bridge will be the most visual aspect of the project. It will not only carry critical infrastructure, but also provide a safer link between East Gore and West Gore.

It was decided to build an overbridge for the water pipelines, as the experience of others has shown that putting pipelines under the river is fraught with too many unknown factors and costs.

Gore District Chief Executive Stephen Parry said providing safer and better connectivity for residents and visitors to Gore had enabled the council to partner with the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) on the bridge component of the project.

NZTA will co-fund 55% of the $3.7 million bridge. This means the council’s share will be $1.6 million. 

The bridge is a cable-stay design. It will be the longest and tallest structure of this type in New Zealand at 39m high and 90m long.

The bridge spans the river near the intersection between Church and Huron streets, on the east bank, and Surrey Street on the west bank. While this is not the shortest route between the East Gore treatment plant and Jacobstown, the river is at its narrowest here.

An artist's impression of the new bridge, from the east bank looking downstream.

Mr Parry said the council considered other options for the new pipeline, such as using the existing traffic bridge and a different design.

“We chose a cable-stay design as we feel the uniqueness of the structure and aesthetically pleasing design adds value to our town and our Rural City Living brand.”

It was also the most cost effective and ensured a funding partner, he said.

The council will fund the project by way of loan, which spreads the cost across generations of Gore residents.