A year has passed since one of Napier’s most significant flood events in decades. The Napier City Council and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council are jointly responsible for managing the City’s flood protection infrastructure. Napier residents, badly affected by the flooding, are entitled to an explanation for the performance of the overwhelmed flood protection network. Both councils sadly, have been unable to front up with the facts. Instead the fiction that Napier’s stormwater protection “worked as it was designed to”, is the chosen substitute for accountability. The reality is that the system did not perform to its capacity.

When considering the performance of each individual element of the stormwater network over the 24 hour period 9 November 2020, we see a pattern of operational inefficiency, poor maintenance and a lack of reasonable planning.

My estimate is that the system actually performed around 20 percent below its available capacity on the day, producing an extra 100mm of avoidable flooding. At a rough guess, this caused at least $20 million of damage to property, aside from the long term disruption to the lives of hundreds of people. I agree that the stormwater system is likely to have been overwhelmed. However extensive damage to dozens of properties would have been avoided if the system had been operating to its actual available capacity.

The other controllable factor was via civil defence officials allowing vehicles into the flood zone, causing bow wave flooding. This was a huge mistake. The most alarming feature of my analysis is the near catastrophic risk to the city’s wastewater pumping system. It was bad enough having raw sewage pumped into the estuary for 77 hours. But the system was exposed to the very real potential of shutdown for weeks. In subsequent joint council meetings, a muddled picture remains.

The intention of both councils is for major capital spending. However, we are not quite sure where or when. There is no sense that the spending will actually solve the problem or whether it will simply provide a band aid for the current inadequate flood protection. On top of the uncertainty with current infrastructure is the prospect of major housing development right in the middle of the most critical parts of the flood detention zone. The three waters political meandering complicates the picture even further. All the ingredients remain for disaster and our councils remain indolent in responding to the clear and present danger. We must get on and increase flood protection capacity in preparation for the next big storm event, due any time soon. remain indolent in responding to the clear and present danger.

We must get on and increase flood protection capacity in preparation for the next big storm event, due any time soon.

Your voice is important and you can help shape the outcome for all Hawke’s Bay locals by putting your views before the council. I will listen to your ideas and help shape policies, proposals and plans on your behalf. Let’s make a difference together, feel free to contact me today, I’d love to hear your thoughts – Neil Kirton, click here.