Water project for boosting food production

Tukituki River

Hawke’s Bay is a key food-producing region with the potential for expansion if there is a reliable long-term water supply. This project will support horticulture, seed production and high-value pastoral farming. 
 
The RIF funding will be used for pre-construction work including detailed design and engineering, and to confirm construction costs and overall commercial viability.

If the project progresses to the construction phase, it is expected to enable the future irrigation of up to 22,000 hectares, create up to 300 jobs during construction and add up to $693 million to annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the region.

The finished water storage facility and distribution pipework network would be capable of storing 104 million cubic metres of water, the equivalent of 41,600 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Securing more water has been identified as a top priority for the Hawke’s Bay region. 

Hawke’s Bay is one of New Zealand’s driest regions, and pressure on freshwater resources is increasing. New water storage will improve water availability and support the region’s long term resilience.

The loan will go to Tukituki Water Limited Partnership, which is developing the project. A grant of up to $3 million was allocated in December 2024 for early development of the project.

Funding for Hawke’s Bay water security project — Beehive.govt.nz