Next steps for Awatoto

Published: 28 March 2023

Last Updated: 29 March 2023

Awatoto is getting back to normal with businesses beginning to clean up and plan for recovery.

The predominantly industrial area of Napier is made up of around 20 businesses and has residential properties neighbouring it. Residents and industry have been impacted by significant flooding through the area as a result of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Over the past month, thorough silt, water and air testing has been carried out. There are high levels of e.coli in the silt but chemical testing has come back without any concerning results. A full suite of tests was carried out, detailed below. Ambient monitoring units will remain in place in the area to ensure dust suppression mechanisms are working as planned.

Silt and flood-damaged materials are now being removed from the kerbside of the residences around Awatoto.

Silt on industrial sites is still being tested and business owners will need to provide test results to Napier City Council’s Environmental Solutions team before an individualised plan is put in place to remove silt from each business. Clean silt and that which is contaminated with e.coli will be held temporarily within the Awatoto Industrial Zone on land owned by Napier City Council. Other contaminated silts will be taken out of the area.

Napier City Council established a dedicated response team to focus on the needs of Awatoto industry and residents. On Friday 31 March the Awatoto Response Team will stand down and any remaining activities will be carried out by Napier City Council officers as part of their business-as-usual work.

Awatoto industries set up a working group to work closely with council on deciding a way forward. The working group has helped ensure businesses can work within an area that until now has been cordoned off. They held their final meeting today.

Tomorrow the controlled cordon will be replaced by a soft road closure with two-way traffic now allowed on Waitangi Road. The speed limit will remain at 15km/h for safety reasons and to help with dust suppression. The barrier will be manned and only those with a legitimate reason to be in the industrial zone will be granted entry. Awatoto Road will be fully open to the public and operating as normal.

Tests:

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