In a media statement this week, district council infrastructure manager Joshua Rendell reiterated that the council contractor had found "more waste than expected" during the cleanup of the two Beach Rd fly-tipping sites.
It left two huge cavities where the road should be. The Oamaru Mail understands the council has sufficient leeway to use existing road reserve on the inland side to realign the road.
The rubbish removal was part of a $15million project called Project Reclaim.
It also dealt with 48,000tonnes from the old beachside Hampden dump, at risk of being exposed by the sea.
Excavation, cartage and placing the waste from the Beach Rd and Hampden sites, and rehabilitating each site had cost $6.4m.
The overall $15m cost also included $5.5m for a special cell at the Palmerston landfill to take the material.
Council also spent $750,000 on a sewer line to carry leachate from the special cell at Palmerston to the town’s wastewater treatment plant.
Another $500,000 was budgeted to rebuild Stafford St at Hampden and Falcon St in Palmerston, after truck movements during the project.
However, nothing was put in the pot for Beach Rd, although Mr Rendell has previously said that was the hope.
Council has previously said that it undertook test drilling at the Beach Rd sites to scope the extent and type of old dump material present at the road edge.
In the event, both Beach Rd dumps extended well beneath the road, with 19,000tonnes removed from both sites — 36.8% more than forecast.
"At Beach Rd contractors found more waste than expected," Mr Rendell said.
"Aerial photos show both sites at around high-tide, with water lapping at the toe of each site and the cliff degradation either side.
"Both the Hampden and Beach Rd sites were within 10m of the high-tide line during calm conditions."
This was a good enough reason for Waitaki to act before a storm event pulled dump contents into the sea, fuelling an environmental disaster — as starkly occurred when Cyclone Fehi in 2018 opened up the former Cobden dump at Greymouth.
At the November 26 council meeting Mr Rendell outlined "concept design only" options to reinstate the road.
- Spend $720,000 to realign both severed sections around the huge cavities.
- Spend $353,000 to realign the road inland from the Awamoa Rd intersection.
The council would be consulting the public about the options and costs of rerouting and coastal protection for Beach Rd as part of the 2025-34 long-term plan.
Overall the project has yet to account for $5.2m of waste and Emissions Trading Scheme charges — which may yet be waived.
Mr Rendell said the Palmerston Landfill consent was due to expire in 2027. Utilising it for Project Reclaim helped avoid having to find a new site for 67,000tonnes of waste.
