Signs advising no public access and a few barriers have been in place at the Lake Hāwea water tower for many years, but new razor wire now firmly says: ‘Stay out’.

The water tower is accessed via Capell Avenue near the dam intake, and the structure extends from a spit on the edge of Lake Hāwea. 

It’s a popular and scenic spot to jump into the lake and, despite the safety warnings, sees a steady stream of thrill-seekers making the leap from the water tower into the lake during summer. 

The rocks surrounding the water tower are another well-visited - but prohibited - spot, frequented by swimmers wanting to avoid the slow descent into the icy Lake Hāwea waters by jumping off the rocks. 

But now even the keenest of jumpers will be deterred from accessing the water tower (which is technically an irrigation pier) after owner Contact Energy installed a series of additional razor wire rings. 

Jumping off the water tower is a popular pastime for locals and visitors. PHOTO: Wanaka App

“We are aware that people like to use this area for recreational purposes but it is a pretty hazardous area which we are responsible for,” Contact Energy senior communications advisor Leah Chamberlin-Gunn told the Wanaka App.

“We don’t want to be the fun police, but we do have an obligation to ensure our community is safe around our operational areas and we need to make people aware of the hazards. To that end, we have added some barbed wire recently onto the irrigation pier to discourage people from taking unnecessary risks.”

There was a lot of signage in the area to warn people of the risks associated with swimming near the dam, like the intake of water and the risk of being pulled under, she said.

The water tower is located near the Hawea dam intake, making it unsafe for swimming, Contact Energy said. PHOTO: Supplied

The addition of razor wire was brought to the attention of the Wanaka App by local Grant Fyfe, former Guardians of Lake Hawea chairman, who said he had been jumping off the rocks beside the water tower for 35 years. 

“I was initially lost for words. This is not North Korea. Razor wire is really unfriendly and creates a bigger health and safety concern for Contact Energy than previously existed. People are still going to jump off the water tower but possibly get seriously injured trying to get past the wire. The sooner it is removed the better.”

Many other locals were quick to take to social media to criticise the change - the sentiment was that water tower jumping in summer is a long-held tradition and something of a rite of passage. One poster said their family had been swimming there for “a couple generations” without incident.

The spit, irrigation pier and surrounding waters are close to the Hawea Dam intake and therefore closed to the public. The area is marked by buoys. PHOTO: Supplied

Another person who said they first jumped off the water tower 15 years ago said they’ve never heard of any injuries; and another who claimed 30 years said there were no major hazards under the water. 

Queenstown Lakes District Council harbourmaster Marty Black said, as the owners, Contact Energy had the right to prevent access as they saw fit. 

Leah defended the new restrictions as necessary for safety.

“The safety of our community is a number one priority and we need to do the right thing by locals – we don’t want to shirk our responsibilities.”