Background

Thanks for sharing your feedback on the proposed central city reservoirs at the Ruakiwi site above Hamilton Lake.

What we heard from the community

We received 94 submissions, with comments indicating general support for the project.

54% of submitters told us they use the proposed reservoirs space to access the Lake Domain walkway, closely followed by 53% of submitters who use the space for recreation of exercise or play.

While 58% of submitters stated the new reservoirs would not change how they use the space, frequent visitors were more likely to report a negative impact. The most common concern was an obstructed view.

Art/mural/colourful decor was the most common suggestion for the reservoir design, followed by adding a viewing platform.

Next steps

Elected Members will be presented with high-level plans of the reservoirs for approval at the Council meeting on Tuesday 13 May 2025.

Approval will allow the project team to proceed with design development and resource consent requirements.

You can access the agenda, which includes a copy of the insights report that summarises the community feedback, and watch the live stream of the meeting here.

The community will have another opportunity to provide feedback during public consultation later this year.

To increase the supply of drinking water and capacity for firefighting for our growing central city, we need to build two 25 million litre (ML) reservoirs. One by 2028 and the other from 2040.

Following significant technical, environmental and cultural investigation, the Ruakiwi site (next to the existing Ruakiwi Reservoir) has been identified as the best site for the two new reservoirs and a valve chamber building.

The site has hydraulic advantages as it enables the best and efficient (aka gravity) water supply to the city and has supplied the central city with water for over 100 years with many important customers including Waikato Hospital.

Stage 1: First reservoir – built by 2028

• 25ML reservoir - approximately the volume of eight Olympic sized pools.
• Council has been allocated $150.6 million in Crown funding from the Infrastructure Acceleration Fund (IAF) for a range of infrastructure projects to enable more homes. The first reservoir is funded through the IAF programme.
• 60m diameter - approximately 10m longer than an Olympic sized swimming pool.
• 10m tall, 6m above ground.
• The new reservoir will be the tenth in Hamilton Kirikiriroa.

Stage 2: Second reservoir – to be built from 2040

• Hamilton will need multiple reservoirs over the coming decades. As part of Council’s early water modelling and growth projections, another reservoir of the same size of stage 1 will be needed to ensure the city keeps ahead of its demand for water supply.
• Funding for the second reservoir will be considered in future long-term planning.

Your feedback on the draft concept and how you currently use the space is important to help us:

• Shape the final design and layout of the reservoirs site, including access and landscaping considerations.
• Prepare applications to designate and reclassify some of the current park land needed to build the reservoirs under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) and Reserves Act 1977 (Reserves Act) processes.

Come and chat with the project team and see first-hand concept plans at these drop-in sessions below:

Hamilton Lake at the Verandah Café

Learn more about the reservoirs

Read all about the proposed new water reservoirs needed at the top of the lake hill and what it means for our central city and surrounds.