A faster, cheaper solution to Luggate’s water treatment issues has been found after Queenstown Lakes District (QLDC) staff took a close look at delivery options.

Councillors congratulated council staff at last week’s full QLDC meeting (October 24) for reducing the cost of installing a long term UV treatment plant for the Luggate community.

The water treatment plant was one of the proposed amendments to QLDC’s capital works programme, in response to “emerging opportunities for early delivery and avoided costs”, the council report said.

Mayor Gyn Lewers told council staff he was “particularly impressed with [staff] utilising a temporary solution to a more permanent solution”.

A UV treatment unit in a container was to be installed in the Luggate scheme on a temporary basis to ensure the scheme is compliant with Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules.

The container was only meant to remain until a permanent water treatment plant and scheme upgrades were delivered elsewhere in Luggate by 2031/32, but the council compliance response project team identified it could be located on the future permanent water treatment plant site, providing a longer-term water treatment arrangement for the scheme. 

“To leverage this opportunity, planned reticulation upgrades required to connect the permanent treatment site with the scheme will be required earlier than otherwise planned in the LTP,” the council report said.

The scheme would also be completed for less - reducing the overall budget by $2.76M. 

Councillors approved a $0.40M increase in the compliance response project budget for the next two financial years, which would be offset by a reduction to the Luggate Scheme Upgrades budget in later years. 

PHOTO: Wānaka App