Balmoral/Tuapeka Rural Water Scheme – Progress update
Balmoral/Tuapeka Rural Water Scheme – Progress update for December 2025
Great progress continues to be made for the Balmoral/Tuapeka rural water scheme, as water is pumped through much of the new network.
The new Greenfield Water Treatment Plant is now pumping water to lower and upper Greenfield pump stations and is supplying those that were on the Balmoral 1, Tuapeka East and West rural water schemes. Only those on the previous Balmoral 2 scheme are yet to be connected, and then the final stage of connecting Lawrence will follow once full compliance of the scheme is reached.
Solutions are being investigated now for the Balmoral 2 connections, and will be a priority for the new year. Once Balmoral 2 customers are connected, the old Waitahuna water treatment plant will be switched off and decommissioned.
Regular progress updates are provided to Council for the project. On 6 August 2025 Council approved an additional $1.2m of expenditure to complete the Rural Water Scheme, taking the total project costs now to $26.2m. In doing so Council also initiated an independent external review into the expenditure. That review is complete and identified several recommendations for system improvement that are to be implemented. Council is satisfied with the outcome and the recommendations. The funding for the additional expenditure is being determined via the Annual Plan 2026/27 process.
This project secures the future water supply for a significant portion of the Clutha District, and will lead to the decommissioning of three water treatment plants. Evans Flat plant has now been decommissioned, Lawrence and the Waitahuna water treatment plants will follow in due course.
Council reminds customers that boil water notices remain in place for the previous Balmoral 1 and 2, Tuapeka East and West schemes, until Council is assured through test results that the water meets the drinking water standards.
