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Stead Street pump station redevelopment

Environment Southland has replaced the Stead Street pump station with Te Kupeka o Waimātaitai, a modern, energy-efficient, fish-friendly facility. The upgrade reduces flood impacts for Waihōpai Invercargill, Southland’s largest urban centre, and helps keep critical infrastructure such as Invercargill Airport operating during major rain and tide events.

Te Kupeka o Waimātaitai is a key asset in Waihōpai Invercargill’s flood infrastructure network. The replacement was driven by the age and condition of the 1960s installation, climate-related pressures on the city’s flood infrastructure and Ngāi Tahu ki Murihiku aspirations to restore the health of the Kōreti New River Estuary. The new station improves reliability and environmental performance while helping sustain agreed service levels across the network.

Project milestones

  • Design and Construction: Began in late 2022, including construction of the pump station building and outlet pipes beneath Stead Streat, the installation of two new-generation pumps and completion of associated drainage works by mid-2024.
  • Cultural Components: Mahi Toi elements designed and installed to reflect the aspirations of Ngāi Tahu ki Murihiku and their cultural connection to place.
  • Te Kupeka o Waimātaitai was officially opened on 16 August 2024.

Key benefits

  • Reduced flood impacts for 116 nearby properties, local communities and Invercargill Airport, helping sustain agreed service levels.
  • Two fish-friendly Archimedes screw pumps that enable safe passage for valued mahinga kai species, consistent with the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater (2020).
  • ~27 km of drainage waterways opened to safe fish passage, improving the environmental performance of the network.
  • New 500 kVA transformer, installed above the 1984 flood level, increasing reliability for the new pumps and providing greater protection for Invercargill Airport, plus a backup supply for the Ōtatara community.
  • Co-funded with central government (Kānoa), bringing work forward and lowering costs for ratepayers.

The design, fabrication and construction of the mahi toi (artistic elements), which adorn the front exterior of Te Kupeka o Waimātaitai, is a collaborative effort that builds on the Invercargill City Council (ICC) climate resilience project on Stead Street and Airport Avenue completed in 2023. They are a component of the broader cultural project called Te Ara Tūpuna. This initiative features mana whenua interpretation panels along the Waihōpai Invercargill-to-Motupōhue Bluff multi-use trail, mapping the ancestral pathways known as Ara Tawhito that crisscross this region.

About the name: Waimātaitai refers to the mix of coastal sea and fresh waters that make up the brackish waters of an estuary. Kupeka is a long fishing net.

Funding and collaboration

This project is a Resilient River Communities initiative and was a collaboration between Environment Southland and Kānoa – the Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit, Te Ao Mārama Inc. and Waihōpai Rūnaka Narratives Committee, with support from Invercargill City Council.

By building resilient river communities, we aim to minimise the environmental, economic and social impacts of flooding, creating a safer Aotearoa New Zealand for everyone.

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Related stories

Luke Hazlett spent two years in Murihiku Southland leading the construction of the new Stead Street pump station for Fulton Hogan — balancing complex engineering, striving to minimise disruptions for the local communities and supporting and developing a strong on-site team. Read the story.

Meet Invercargill net maker Ross Campbell, whose custom tuna nets are now used to monitor fish passing through Te Kupeka o Waimātaitai’s twin Archimedes screw pumps, helping ensure safe passage for migrating tuna. Read the story.

Dutch fish-passage specialist Gerard Manshanden, co-founder of FishFlow Innovations, brings decades of practical knowledge from the Netherlands to the new fish-friendly pumps at Stead Street. His work draws on a lifetime of observing fish behaviour, including commercial fishing and non-lethal monitoring. Read the story.

Corten and stainless-steel mahi toi now wrap Te Kupeka o Waimātaitai, the new Stead Street pump station, weaving stories of Ki uta ki tai and care for Kōreti / New River Estuary. Local artist James York (left) worked with designer Keri Whaitiri and the Waihōpai Rūnaka Cultural Narratives Committee to bring the design to life. Read the story.

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