Council will consider a recommendation from the Stockwater Transition Working Group on 17 December to partially close the Pudding Hill stockwater race network.

If Councillors support the recommendation, the race network that is fed from Mt Harding Creek at Scarness Gate and Drayton’s Gate would close from September next year. Stockwater for this system is from the Pudding Hill Stream intake and feeds about 220km of race network, with 181 rateable properties.

The Stockwater Transition Working Group is overseeing Council’s planned exit from the stockwater delivery service and that involves the individual consideration of 17 stockwater intakes, starting with Pudding Hill. The group met last week, with most members supporting the partial closure recommendation.

A second part to the recommendation is that Council staff talk with Environment Canterbury about using the Pudding Hill intake to augment Mt Harding Creek.

Working group chair Deputy Mayor Richard Wilson said Councillors had the final decision on whether that part of its race network would close.

“Council has been clear about its intention to stop delivering stockwater and as we work our way through the intakes it is important that property owners engage with us when we write to them. It is possible that other groups or landowners could take over running the intakes from Council.

“Council has also been also working with BCI to identify alternative water sources that might be available for those who have indicated they still need stockwater.

“We’ll be talking further with the Mt Harding Creek catchment group and with BCI about the future of the Pudding Hill intake itself, as well as looking at stormwater and drainage issues that might result from closing races.”

Council will discuss the Pudding Hill partial closure recommendation at its meeting on 17 December. The meeting will be livestreamed and recorded, and a report about the partial closure will be online as part of the meeting’s agenda.

Progress on other intakes under consideration:

• Methven Auxiliary – stormwater investigations under way
• Bushside and Stoney Creek – cultural assessments planned
• Limestone Creek - ecological and cultural assessments planned
• Alford Forest – ecological and cultural assessments planned
• Brothers - ecological and cultural assessments planned
• Langdons Creek (north and south), Clearwell Springs - ecological and cultural assessments planned
• Cracroft – currently being surveyed
• Klondyke – survey letters to be sent to stockwater users mid-December.

Learn more about the Stockwater Exit Transition Plan and work.