Kaituna River Re-Diversion and Te Awa o Ngātoroirangi / Maketu Estuary Enhancement Project

Maketu marine makeover

PROJECT: Kaituna River Re-Diversion and Te Awa o Ngātoroirangi / Maketu Estuary Enhancement Project CONTRACTOR: J Swap Contractors CLIENT: Bay of Plenty Regional Council (BOPRC) VALUE: $14.5m

This project was a result of decades of lobbying by Maketu locals to restore the mauri of Te Awa o Ngātoroirangi / Maketu Estuary by significantly increasing the volume of freshwater flows from the Kaituna River into the estuary.

BOPRC engaged J Swap Contractors for the complex, but socially rewarding Maketu work, which created a significant improvement to the marine life in the area. Works were carried out between June 2018 and April 2020, and varied from structural and piling, dredging, mechanical gated and telemetry to earthworks and pavements. The work was successfully delivered six months early and has received awards for its planning and environmental enhancement to the area.

Consultants for the project were Ice Geo & Civil, Beca, Norconsult and WSP.