Napier City Council has endorsed the procurement approach for the Mataruahou Reservoir, marking the next step in a major upgrade of the city’s drinking water infrastructure. The project will increase water storage, strengthen network resilience and improve the reliability of Napier’s water supply.
Two nine-million litre tanks will be constructed at the Hospital Hill location with room for a third to be built in the future.
“This is a long-term investment that strengthens Napier’s water supply infrastructure, improves our storage capacity and gives the community confidence that the system is safe, secure and resilient,” Mayor Richard McGrath says.
The Mataruahou Reservoir will replace the existing Enfield Reservoir, which is nearing the end of its operational life and cannot meet the growing demands of Napier. As the city expands, Enfield no longer offers sufficient storage capacity, operational flexibility, or resilience to support Napier’s drinking water needs into the future.
“The location on Mataruahou gives us natural advantages. The elevation allows water to move efficiently across the city with limited requirement to pump water through the water supply network,” says Mayor McGrath.
The reservoir will be supported by new borefields and pipelines to help supply water and move it efficiently across the city.
Community is invited to the site on Mataruahou/Hospital Hill to talk with the project team on Tuesday 31 March from 5.30pm to 7pm.
The Council is keen to share designs with the community and answer any questions ahead of construction beginning later this year. “During the design phase we want people involved, because this is when input matters most. This project must work technically, but it also has to work for the community,” says Mayor McGrath.
Key milestones:
• February 2026: Council endorsement of the procurement approach.
• Late 2026: Construction of the two reservoir tanks and associated infrastructure commences.
• Mid-2028: Commissioning and handover completed, with the new reservoir becoming operational.
For more info: https://connect.napier.govt.nz/mataruahou-reservoir
