Cardrona Valley Water Supply Scheme

A new community water supply scheme is now available for the Cardrona area. Here you'll find the latest information about the project and how to connect.

Overview

Queenstown Lakes District Council has a responsibility to ensure its residents and visitors have access to safe and clean drinking water that is affordable and enables growth. 

Cardrona Village is currently serviced by five small private water supply schemes each with permitted water take consents. These private schemes, whether alone or all together, cannot provide enough capacity to supply the long-term demand in the village.

Combining the consents of the existing schemes could service around one third of the long-term demand in the village, so an additional supply will be required to enable the village to fully develop to levels anticipated in the Queenstown Lakes Spatial Plan.

Following consultation in 2022, we are partnering with the investors of Mount Cardrona Station (MCS) to deliver a drinking water scheme for the Cardrona area.  Delivering with a private partner means the scheme can be delivered more affordably which is a great outcome for the Cardrona community.  The new scheme will be fully compliant with drinking water standards and meet any long term needs that future growth might bring.  

What's the latest?

Construction of the new water scheme is now complete and able to be connected to.

How to connect

QLDC is currently accepting applications to connect to the new community scheme, now the scheme is operational and fully vested in Council. 

If you choose to connect, there are payment options available to make it more affordable. 

Those who don't apply to connect will not be charged any rates for the new scheme.

Please read the information provided to determine which option is best for you. 

Frequently asked questions

  • Here is the scheme boundary.  Click on the image for a larger version.

    Cardrona Water Supply Scheme boundary

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  • Yes. The scheme would allow for expansion at a later date. Residents with properties outside of the scheme, but within a serviceable range can apply for a connection. These applications will be considered in accordance with the Council’s Water Supply Boundary Adjustment Policy.

    There will be costs associated with connecting which are also determined by this policy.

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  • If there is a building in multiple ownership with differing uses, each owner will have their own ‘individual point of supply’ agreement with QLDC. This will require separate connection fees and development contributions, and will be rated separately as there are separate connections to the network. 

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  • Once the scheme boundary is confirmed, residents with properties outside of the scheme boundary, but within a serviceable range can apply for a connection.  These applications will be considered in accordance with the Council’s Water Supply Boundary Adjustment Policy.

    The costs will differ depending on the property, these will be determined by the above policy.

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  • Please refer to the QLDC Vesting and Acquisitions of Private Schemes policy and the process addendum that explains requirements in more detail.

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  • Look beyond the tap to know what level of service you currently get to help better inform the perception of cost and value to you, your family and friends, visitors and customers.  

    The service you receive is as much about how your water service is operated to ensure that the water you, your family and friends, and your customers are drinking is safe and reliably delivered it to you in accordance with all of the legislative requirements and is continuing to be invested in to keep up with change rules, regulations and standards.

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  • The current seasonal flow rates can be requested from the Otago Regional Council.  However it’s important to note that the proposed scheme relies on already permitted water takes.  

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  • update to emergency response content TBC

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  • Yes. This is an important requirement of any public water scheme.

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  • While the details are still to be worked out – Cardrona can expect an early implementation of the results from the smart water meter trials underway in Glenorchy and Luggate.  You can read about the trial here

    Our work in Cardrona considers the sensitive catchment and scarcity of water in a high country alpine environment and seeks to ensure that demand management is implemented. 

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  • All private infrastructure must be designed in accordance with the QLDC Subdivision and Land Development Code of Practice. The infrastructure will be designed to use as much passive protection as possible (underground or insulated services) to reduce operating costs. But where required exposed pipes at risk of freezing will be heat-traced with active electric units.

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  • The design basis has allows for 1,000 to 1,150 L/day/household to service the ultimate demand.

    Use of flow meters for volumetric charges are still being investigated. Therefore, at present the operating costs will be presented as an annual rate (which may be levied volumetrically in future).

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