Failed mitigation pump an issue for Haumoana residents
It’s not the first time Haumoana has been waist-deep in water due to its failing mitigation pump.
In September 2021, heavy rains and a blocked river mouth caused the Tukituki River to overflow into Grange Creek, forcing some residents along Haumoana’s main road to evacuate. The mitigation pump meant to divert water back out to sea did not live up to expectations.
The same happened again recently during Cyclone Gabrielle, with locals left wanting answers amid the cleanup.
Their main pump is electric, backed by a supplemental pump which is intended to run off a tractor for emergencies such as these.
Matt Goodin, owner of the Haumoana Coffee cafe is one of several people whose property has been affected by this second surge of water in just three years. Like many others, he is upset over the failed pump system.
“It sounds like the pump was unmanned for a period of time, during which event (the tractor) ran out of diesel. It might’ve gone under the water a bit as well, that could be the closest we’ll get to the whole truth at this stage,” he says.
In addition to river runoff, sea water also flowed over top of the small creeks which flow down to the pump station. “It came from all around,” Goodin adds.
Thankfully, despite the destruction caused he remains optimistic for his cafe.
“It was horrible-looking with that water in my shop, but once that was gone it was fine... we’ve gone through and done a big clean up, sterilised it all. Sure, the whole kitchen will have to come out at some stage when insurance takes care of it... but we were lucky really not to have any silt run through the place.” He plans to reopen to customers soon.
Goodin remarked on the similarity of the 2021 and 2023 floods.
“The last time this happened, it was exactly the same issue with the pump station where they had an issue with the tractor. It’s some really basic engineering they’ve got for a major part of the network.”
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council have since admitted their tractor-powered backup pump has mechanical issues, particularly with refueling. In their statement, they also acknowledged the severity of the storm caught them by surprise.
"The intensity of Cyclone Gabrielle greatly exceeded our expectations and forecasts based on the data we had on Monday before the cyclone hit.”
"We understand the Haumoana community has frustrations and they want answers to what has occurred. There will be a time to review decisions made before and after the initial states of emergency in coming weeks."
Meanwhile in nearby Clive, a similar pump installed on their river worked perfectly, Goodin says.
“There was someone manning the Clive pump who never left his station, so they didn’t get inundated with water there, but he wasn’t able to be here for our pump so his house went underwater.”
Goodin even has a suggestion on ways to improve the current system.
“It needs to be upgraded to something automated that goes on when the power goes out. That’s why they have the tractor there, because once the power goes out they don’t work at all.”
“You’ve got to take the human error out and set it up so that we’re not relying on a guy to run out there and switch things over or pour diesel in. Council needs to step up and put in processes that we can rely on, because disaster management is too serious to just be winging it.”
Another Haumoana local who wishes to remain anonymous feels the community has been let down by the Regional Council’s inactivity.
“We pay for this protection with our rates, yet we get nothing. Why has this occurred twice? It should never have happened once,” she says.
