Council Approves Local Contractors To Protect Kumeū From Flooding
Auckland Council has approved the use of locally based contractors to carry out essential flood maintenance across the Kumeū district—marking a major win for the community following sustained public advocacy.
'This is great news for the Kumeu,' says Rodney Councillor Greg Sayers. 'The community asked for better care of the Kumeū River and the local stormwater systems to protect the town from flooding—and Council has listened.'
Earlier this year, large-scale flood prevention options such as constructing a dam or building a tunnel to the Waitematā Harbour were ruled out as unaffordable and impractical. In their place, Council is now focused on more immediate, high-impact measures—including unclogging culverts, clearing swales, removing river debris, and repairing storm-damaged infrastructure such as stop banks.
Importantly, the work will be delivered by contractors based in Kumeū, Huapai, Taupaki, Waimauku, and Riverhead, who bring local knowledge and pride to the job. 'Local contractors know the land and the flood-prone spots better than anyone,' says Sayers. 'They're better placed to deliver value for money and a higher quality of service.'
The tender process will open late this month and be advertised on the GETS (Government Electronic Tender Service) tendering platform and in local newspapers. Work is expected to begin in November 2025. Contractors will need to demonstrate experience in flood resilience work and meet Auckland Council criteria. Council will also pre-arrange any required earthworks consents.
Councillor Sayers cautions that no flood protection system is perfect. 'If more than 100mm of rain falls within seven hours, the Kumeū River will breach its stop banks and flooding will still occur,' he says. 'But this maintenance work will help to delay such breaches and improves drainage for the surrounding areas during heavy rain events.'
Finally, Councillor Sayers is also urging both central and local government to halt new residential developments on known floodplains. 'Right now, the law still allows consents if buildings are 'engineered' to be safe. That's not good enough when it can still put lives at risk,' he says.
Council is pushing for a change to the Unitary Plan to allow consents on floodplains to be declined without triggering legal challenges. However, this change depends on the Government's upcoming Resource Management Act reforms, expected before the 2026 general election.
'Proactive river maintenance is a positive step toward a locally-led, common-sense approach to flood resilience,' says Sayers. 'It shows that when the community speaks, and the Council listens, real progress can be made.'
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