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Waiaroha - Heretaunga Water Discovery Centre

Hastings CBD's new Waiaroha - Heretaunga Water Discovery Centre has opened a world of information about all things water.

It’s a place where the community can develop a full understanding of the water ecosystem – from the mountains, through the rivers, streams, wetlands and aquifers, household taps, then out to sea. Just as important, however, is the drinking water treatment and storage facility on-site that is set to be fully operational city-wide by the end of the year.

The enhanced treatment of Hastings’ entire drinking water network is the result of Hastings District Council’s journey to improve the safety, resilience and security of the water supply in the wake of the Havelock North water crisis in 2016.

This process and how it works is being opened up at Waiaroha where a large window allows visitors to see the inner workings of the treatment plant and find out more about what happens there.

Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst says on the back of the water crisis, Hastings District Council was now leading the charge in drinking water treatment and telling the wider story of water.

“There’s nothing like this in the world - sitting in the middle of a city, open for people to look around and incorporating Māori principles and tikanga - this kind of infrastructure is usually hidden away.

“Add to that the educational element that has been designed to help us understand our water cycle and how we protect and manage it … it’s very unique.

“The hope is that this place will inspire the water engineers of the future who can build on what we are doing and find even better ways to look after and manage this precious resource.”