Kaikohe more resilient after water treatment plant upgraded

A major upgrade to Kaikohe’s water treatment plant is set to strengthen the town’s resilience to future droughts, with a new 1.5 million-litre storage reservoir significantly increasing treated water storage capacity.

The new reservoir has a lifespan of 100 years and supplies Kaikohe and Ngāwhā.

The project includes construction of a pretreatment plant.  Pretreatment provides improved treatment and resilience to the supply of water for Kaikohe.

Now nearing completion, the project will also improve the water takes feeding the treatment plant and enhance the treatment process, helping to deliver a more reliable water supply for the community.

The upgrade will help future-proof Kaikohe’s water network for growth, support firefighting capacity, and deliver long-term benefits for local residents and businesses.

Once construction is complete, the project will move into testing and commissioning from June to July 2026. Some planned disruption to water services will be needed to bring the upgraded plant online and affected residents will be notified in advance of the timing and expected duration of these water outages.

Work on the water treatment plant began in late July 2025 and is separate from upgrades to Kaikohe’s wider water and wastewater network. Both workstreams, however, are backed by multi-million-dollar investment through the government’s Infrastructure Acceleration Fund (IAF).

Managed by National Infrastructure Funding and Financing, the IAF supports the delivery of critical infrastructure needed to enable new housing in high-growth areas.

Go to the Kaikohe water and wastewater upgrades webpage to find out more.

Below - building the reservoir, progress in April 2026.

Below - building the reservoir, progress in early May 2026.

Below - construction of a pretreatment unit is part of the works.