Westland District Council ignored 'imminent' flood threats at Franz Josef

A West Coast council was warned repeatedly it needed to protect tourist hotspot Franz Josef before significant flooding last year caused $30 million in damage.

A flooded Waiho River breached its banks in March 2016 at the exact spot identified by multiple sources as the weakest point in an area otherwise protected by stopbanks. Reports show the Westland District Council failed to act.

The warnings included:

- The West Coast Regional Council publishing a report on Waiho River Management in January 2012 describing a breach in the area as "imminent". 

- A 2014 report by engineering firm Opus telling the council's asset department a "significant flood" in the area was "likely" in the next five years.

- A 2016 Land, River and Sea consultancy report saying "based on current bed and bank levels, the bank is very likely to overtop in a major flood event which will likely cause bank failure".

- Another regional council report was even more specific, identifying that "millions of dollars of assets including SH6 (and bridge), the holiday park, and sewage oxidation ponds" were at risk from such a breakout.

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Members of the public who had experience with the river also warned the council.

Franz local Gavin Molloy, who ran Westland's sewage department for 14 years, alerted the council in 2015 the identified area was "very vulnerable".

After the flooding, Grey District councillor of 24 years Paul Berry wrote a confidential email to the council saying that warnings about a likely flood and impending disaster had been "completely ignored".

The council's asset manager, Vivek Goel, who was responsible for protecting the council-owned strip of land, does not appear to have responded to any of the warnings or taken any action. Goel is being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office over allegations of financial impropriety.

Within a few hours of the breach, two hotels, a holiday park and the sewage ponds were inundated and nearly 200 people were evacuated. The total cost of the event, including the subsequent loss of business in the tourist-dependent town, was estimated by the Insurance Council at $30m.

The breach was at a 600-metre stretch of gravel road leading to the council's sewage ponds. The rest of the northward side of the river was protected by stopbanks around the developed areas of the town.

The West Coast Regional Council identified the area as the Westland District Council's responsibility because it lies outside the regional council's rating area.

In his position as assets manager, Goel was directly in charge of maintaining the road identified as being vulnerable to flooding.

At the time of the flood he was trying to set up a contract with a South Auckland cake decorator to build a $7 millon sewage plant to replace the oxidation ponds. 

Goel planned to build an intensive sewage plant in Franz Josef and had personally sourced his own contractor, Techno Economic Services.

Stuff revealed in March that Techno Economic Services was run and operated by Neha Bubna, a cake decorator from South Auckland.

Bubna, a recent immigrant from India, told Stuff the Franz Josef project was the first sewage job her company would have attempted.

Stuff also revealed the council had already approved another contract with Bubna to upgrade water treatment facilities in the small Westland towns of Kumara and Whataroa.

Goel confirmed Techno Economic Services would build a high-rate sewage plant in March 2016. It is unclear if the decision was made just before or just after the flood.

There were many options for dealing with Franz Josef's growing sewage problems, including expanding or moving the ponds at a cost cited by the current council and one expert as less than $1.5m.

But Goel used the flood as an example of why Franz Josef could not pursue an expansion of the ponds on their existing site. A May 2016 Opus report that Goel commissioned reinforced this point, saying another pond-based system was "eventually likely to end in a similar outcome". 

Opus has since refused to comment on its reports, saying any information it released must first go through Westland council chief executive Tanya Winter.

The plan for the sewage plant was thrown out by the newly-elected council in November 2016.

When questioned about the council's role in the flood, Winter rejected at least 12 opportunities for an interview.

When asked about the council's role in management of the breached area before the flooding, Winter texted: "I think you have the wrong council. West Coast Regional Council are responsible for the rivers."

When presented with the information that the Westland District Council did, in fact, have responsibility in the area Winter replied by text: "Quiet day in the office is it?"

She did not respond to a further request for an interview.

The Westland District Council announced that it would not be renewing Winter's contract at the same time the Serious Fraud Office investigation was revealed. Her contract is due to expire in September.

Goel said Stuff had incorrect information, but would not say what.

"All I can say at this stage is that the investigation is going on and I would rather wait for the investigation to come out."

When asked about his role in the Waiho flood, Goel declined to comment.

"What I've done will be part of the investigation there, OK, and it will come out."

Stuff