SVIS Messages
10 May 2021
SVIS has just shut down automatically due to very low demand. We will not be starting it up tonight and will review tomorrow whether to leave it off now for the winter.
7 May 2021
We are still running the scheme at the request of some irrigators. This is not sustainable in some branches of the system due to the low flows. We will continue to provide water until we see what the weather brings over the next few days.
We expect if there is some rain the demand for irrigation water will drop off further and therefore make it possible to shutdown for winter. We will provide a notice before we do shut it off.
Please contact Council if this will cause a problem on your property.
27 April 2021
SVIS - Fareham Lane & Guernsey Road
Due to low flows the Fareham Lane pump station has been off line for a couple of weeks. We are going to shut it off entirely for the winter on Friday 30 April. If you need to top up a dam or carry out some irrigation before then please let us know so we can run the pump this week to enable that. This will be the last opportunity to do so.
12 April 2021
SVIS - Fareham Lane
We are struggling to keep the Fareham Lane and Guernsey Rd system operating due to low flows (lack of demand). It will be shut off this morning. We will start it up again if there is sufficient demand for further irrigation. Please let Council know if you wish to irrigate in the next week or so. We will need to know when you want to use water.
26 February 2021
Well the rain has come in again with more forecast for early next week. The average river flow yesterday was 11.3 m3/s and is currently running at 15 m3/s. Still not a lot but this should enable us to operate SVIS for another week at least.
22 February 2021
SVIS alternative water supplies - reminder
SVIS will be shut down due to low river flows in the next few days. The Council’s resource consent does not allow water from the town supply to be used for irrigation outside the urban boundary, which means the taking of water from hydrants within Blenheim or other urban areas for irrigation use while the SVIS is shutdown is not allowed.
Property owners who have used this source of water in the past will have to make alternative arrangements to source a supplementary supply of irrigation water.
22 February 2021
SVIS will be shut off later this week
The river flow is down to 10.6 m³/s. The cut off flow for SVIS is 8.0 m³/s. The river is loosing 0.75 to 1.0 m³/s per day. So shutoff is likely to be Wednesday or Thursday. There doesn't look to be much prospect of rain in the forecast that will help.
18 February 2021
Despite there being a flow of 20 m³/s on Monday morning the river is down to 13.8 m³/s today. Without some more rain we may be looking at shutting off the scheme next week if the flow drops to 8.0 m³/s.
16 February 2021
The river flow is down to 20 m³/s. The over night rain appears to have been mainly coastal so is unlikely to lift the river flow. Keep an eye on river flows on Council's web site in the Environmental Data section.
11 February 2021
The rainfall has created a reasonable fresh in the river, with the flow this morning running at 100 m³/s. While this will drop quickly it should enable us to keep the system running for at least 2 -3 weeks.
9 February 2021
The river is down to 12.5 m³/s this morning. Without a good rainfall event in the headwaters we are likely to have to shut off toward the end of the week. Hopefully there will be rain up that way later today and tomorrow.
4 February 2021
The river flow this morning is 15 m³/s. This may provide SVIS water for the next ten days to a fortnight. Rain is likely to be needed to enable the system to operate beyond that. Customers are encouraged to monitor the River flows for themselves to keep up to date with the potential for the scheme to be shut down if the flow drops to below 8.0 m³/s. To do this use the link below.
Go to the Hydro Marlborough website
21 January 2021
With recent rainfall in the headwaters of the Wairau, the river flow is currently 100m³/s. So there will be no restriction to the SVIS water intake for at least the next few weeks.
18 January 2021
Rainfall in the headwaters over the weekend has caused a small lift in the river flow. The flow today is still only 14m³/s. Further rain is needed to prevent a shutdown on SVIS in the next few weeks.
15 January 2021
The Wairau River flow this morning is at 14 m³/s. We have to commence reducing the SVIS inflow when it gets to 12 m³/s and stop taking water at 8.0 m³/s. We will need some rain to prevent having to shut the system down toward the end of next week.
27 November 2020 - 2.46pm
We have large leak in Brookby Rd which is being repaired at present. The water will be off until this can be completed. We anticipate having it being back on tomorrow afternoon. We will post an update when we know more later today.
29 May 2020 - 9.53am
The first letter below was sent in January 2020, alerting that it may no longer be possible to provide water from urban hydrants to be used for irrigation purposes during times of drought or when the SVIS scheme is switched off due to low river flows. The second letter is confirmation of this from advice received.
As a result of this, Council can no longer approve tankering of water to areas outside of the urban boundaries for irrigation or commercial/ industrial purposes.