Today the Auckland Council released the draft Auckland Plan – the 30 year overarching strategic vision for Auckland. Chapter 10 addresses physical and social infrastructure, which includes water.
The following excerpts from the draft Plan demonstrate (a) the critical importance of water to the city; (b) the economic cost to Auckland of current infrastructure and issues for future supply; (c) the role of water in the place shaping of Auckland.
Critical importance of water infrastructure
The draft plan emphasises the critical importance of water infrastructure:
“Auckland’s water is as intrinsic to the region as the land, and bears a deep cultural significance to Māori with the concept of mauri key to the management of Auckland’s water assets. The sustainable provision of water services is of the highest importance to the Council and the requirement to provide for critical water infrastructure is recognised as a core priority for the Auckland Plan.”
(Page 149 - emphasis added)
(Page 149 - emphasis added)
and lists indicative examples of existing critical water infrastructure:
• Sources, including dams and extraction facilities
• Freshwater main pipelines
• Ardmore treatment plant
• Huia treatment plant
(Page 147)
(Page 147)
Cost of water infrastructure
This second excerpt shows the significance of the location of water sources and the impact of water having to travel over a long distance to reach its destination (as will be demonstrated in my mapping project).
“The need for additional capacity is met with increasing cost associated with water provision. The proximate, economical sources for Auckland water have now been exploited, leaving only more distant and expensive options for increasing network supply. In addition, approximately 40,000 cubic metres per day of potable water is lost in conveyance to consumers at a cost of almost $50 per property per year. That amount of leakage brings forward the time when Auckland must invest in a new water source, which will add a substantial cost to water users”
(Page 149)
Not only is there is a high economic cost to water travelling long distances to reach its destination but there is also an environmental cost. Water is a finite resource and every day that is 40,000 cubic metres of a critical non-renewable resource being lost. As infrastructure ages, this loss and associated costs will increase. And as Auckland Council is solely in charge of water supply for Auckland (unlike other large infrastructure such as transport which is shared between central and local government) that means the Council is responsible for these costs.
Water in place-shaping
The draft Plan also states that infrastructure has wider benefits than just delivering necessary functions throughout the city. Infrastructure has a place-shaping role, and plays a part in creating stronger and more resilient communities: “Infrastructure is a… powerful tool to shape growth within the urban system” (page 145).
This is illustrated in the diagram: water (potable) is in the bottom layer, giving it a region-wide place shaping role. Other place-shaping infrastructure becomes more people specific and localised towards the top of the triangle.
Source: Auckland Council
Draft Auckland Plan
My mapping project will illustrate the points the draft Plan raises: remote sources of water, complex and vast networks of pipes and other infrastructure. My project will also demonstrate the place-shaping role of water infrastructure by portraying this fundamental service in a way that makes the everyday role of water services tangible and accessible.
The draft Auckland Plan is available at: http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/AboutCouncil/PlansPoliciesPublications/theaucklandplan/DRAFTAUCKLANDPLAN/Pages/home.aspx
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