When Auckland Transport (AT) was contacted by a resident of Caton Road, Waitākere, who had news that a number of residents were about to run out of tank water, the team took immediate action.
Damage caused by heavy rainfall during the storm on 9 May 2023 resulted in a part of the road slipping away and, to enable safe access for residents, a weight restriction needed to be applied by roading contractor Ventia until repairs were complete.
With the weight restriction of 3.5 tonne and the avarage weight of a fully loaded water truck around 20 tonne, residents have not been able to receive water deliveries since last May.
Caton Road residents have been relying on rain, which is usually not an issue in Auckland but after several months of cloudless skies over summer, things were reaching crisis point by February for some in the community.
Community Facebook administrator and Caton Road resident Mark, contacted AT about the water issue. AT staff in consultation with Ventia set about contacting a number of organisations and private water suppliers to try and find an urgent water delivery solution but nobody was able to meet the weight limit requirements.
Fulton Hogan, known for their problem solving capability were contacted as a last hope. They took up the challenge without hesitation and agreed to work together to find a solution.
AT was then able to contact the most effected residents and promise water deliveries on the same day they were alerted to the problem.
After consultation with residents, it was established the average capacity of a water tank is around 20,000 litres and consumption is around 300 litres a day. Taking usage into account, it was estimated it would take around two weeks to fill the tanks completely at a rate of 1,500 litres, the amount calculated to be safely carried under the weight restriction, delivered per day.
To avoid delay, AT asked Fulton Hogan to make the water deliveries themselves and within the hour, two brand new 750 litre clean tanks, a pump and hose pipes were all purchased and fitted to a flat deck Ute to start delivering safe drinking water.
"Thanks to Auckland Transport for their diligence and pragmatic problem solving to get much needed water to Caton Road residents. Auckland Transport in collaboration with Fulton Hogan problem solved to deliver essential water to those in need,” says Mark.
In 2023 there were 2,003 slips across Auckland caused by extreme weather events in January, February and May.
Caton Road has been a major repair work; coordinating drain work through private property, restoring compromised power lines, surveying and engineering, while trying to cause as little disruption to the community as possible, particularly over the holiday period.
Auckland Transport and Fulton Hogan are committed to keep making water delivery trips to residents of Caton Road until their tanks are full.
