The future of the controversial Waimea Dam is in jeopardy after latest figures show the total cost could be as much as $26 million more than estimated in 2015.
Tasman mayor Richard Kempthorne says the council has been “blindsided” by the new figures and says unless a solution can be found to close the gap, the dam won’t go ahead.
“I am gutted about this, but I know that security of water supply is increasingly becoming a critical issue, locally and globally,” says Richard. “The Waimea water augmentation dam represents a complete solution to urban and rural water supply for the Richmond, Brightwater, Mapua and Waimea areas for generations to come.”
The 2015 budget estimate for the dam construction was $49,800,000 and the Early Contractor Involvement agreed final project cost is $68,114,000, therefore a difference of around $18m.
There are other workstreams still to be finalised and TDC has reason to believe those other costs are likely to be in the order of $8m over the estimate. Bringing the total coast to $26m more than estimated in 2015.
Objectors of the dam, led by Water Information Network (WIN) are staging a protest at the council office in Richmond on Thursday, August 9.