High water table causes drainage problems in Matata

Whakatane District Council has said the prolonged wet weather is causing drainage problems in some sections of Matata. The groundwater table has risen above the spring line at the base of the hill running parallel with Arawa Road. This has resulted in water flowing across 20-30 metres of flat land between the hill and the lagoon.

The Council’s Chief Executive Diane Turner says the Council has received and responded to residents concerns over the apparent saturation of the land including the children’s’ playground.

‘Unfortunately there is very little that we can do about a natural phenomenon as a high water table due to the prolonged wet weather. The situation is further complicated by the reliance on septic tanks in the area that in effect add water to the already saturated ground. The Council is encouraging residents who may have drains on their properties to clean them so water can quickly drain away’ said Ms Turner.

“Our engineers have assessed the situation and believe the problem is a result of the prolonged wet weather. This issue is not unique to Matata. There are other parts of the District including Whakatane and Ohope that are experiencing similar issues. 

“It should be noted that we had a similar problem at the children’s playground last winter as well so while the problem is more pronounced this year, it is not a new problem. We are still hopeful that we will receive funding from central government to implement the Matata wastewater scheme. This would go a long way to solving the problem.