Generators in a range of sizes ordered from a manufacturer in France have arrived in Napier. Photo: Supplied / Napier City Council
Napier has received a shipment of back-up generators to run its stormwater pump stations, more than two years after it identified they were needed.
Following severe flooding in November 2020, it took a year for council to approve the funding for them - and then a shortage of materials and shipping delays pushed out their arrival from late last year to last week.
Napier City Council water strategy acting manager Phil Kelsen said the only reason their absence was not missed during Cyclone Gabrielle was because the rain had stopped by the time the pump stations lost power.
"We rely very heavily on pumping to keep Napier dry during wet weather," Kelsen said.
"The likelihood of flooding of people's homes or businesses is increased in a power outage."
The council managed to get generators - obtained from organisations like Red Cross - to all pump stations within the first 12 hours of the power being out.
But if the rain had kept falling, the stormwater system could have backed up and flooded with the pumps out of action, Kelsen said.
"It would've given us better resilience, and having generators on site a lot quicker.
"So during the cyclone, we were at quite a high risk, because the roads were damaged, and getting stuff in and out was a problem."
The generators are still being tested before they are installed.
But Kelsen said now he felt more confident the pump stations would cope - and keep people and homes safe - when power was cut.
"The fact that they're in Napier, and we don't have to rely on getting resources externally to maintain our critical three waters services."
