Turning plans into progress, made for Ōtaki
20 Apr 2026
Ōtaki is growing, and we need to make sure the infrastructure that supports daily life grows too.
That means investing in the services people rely on every day – drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, roads, and connections around town.
Over the past few years, you may have noticed roadworks, construction sites, and disruptions in different parts of Ōtaki. While we appreciate this has at times been inconvenient for the community, the work is part of a significant, once-in-a-generation investment to strengthen Ōtaki’s future.
Why this work is happening
In 2022, the Kāpiti Coast was forecast to grow by around 32,000 people over the next 30 years. At the same time, Ōtaki was identified as an area where housing choice and affordability pressures were making it harder for people to stay in the community.
To support current residents and future growth, a joint application by Council, our iwi partners – particularly Ngā Hapū o Ōtaki, landowners, and developers resulted in a successful IAF grant for Ōtaki of $29.3 million over ten years.
Council is contributing a further $20.7 million to deliver the $50 million programme.
This funding has allowed critical upgrades to happen earlier than originally planned, helping both current residents and future generations.
This investment is helping us:
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provide infrastructure to support new housing
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improve resilience of essential services
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prepare for future growth
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strengthen community wellbeing.
What the investment supports
As our town grows, it’s important that essential services keep up.
One of the biggest priorities has been improving the resilience of Ōtaki’s drinking water network.
Previously, much of the town relied directly on water treatment plants. If a bore failed, power was lost, or backup systems were affected, much of the community could have lost water supply quickly. Firefighting capacity was also limited.
Upgrades include:
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a new 5.5 million litre reservoir, completed in 2025
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supply line upgrades along Waitohu Valley Road
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a planned new 1 million litre reservoir
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new fire main pipes installed in several parts of town
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upgrades to the County Road pump station
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installed a new water main along Anzac Road.
These improvements help make the network more reliable for supply to homes and businesses. Better able to cope with emergency preparedness an improve firefighting capability. Strengthens support for growth, and future demand.
Parts of Ōtaki’s wastewater network are reaching the end of their life and need to be replaced with new and larger pipes to support future demand.
This work includes:
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a new 2.7 kilometre gravity main along Aotaki Street and Mill Road
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planned wastewater pipe upgrades along Rāhui Road, Te Roto Road, and County Road
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pump station upgrades near Riverbank Road and Aotaki Street
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future upgrades around Rangiuru Road and connections to the treatment plant.
This work will help the wastewater system continue to operate effectively as Ōtaki grows, reducing leaks and stormwater entering the network.
Stormwater improvements are also being investigated as part of the programme.
Current work includes investigating options in the Mangapouri Stream catchment, which may include culvert upgrades and stream ecological improvements.
This work is still being developed, with survey information helping guide the design. Stormwater network improvements help reduce flooding risk.
Some other projects happening in Ōtaki are separate from the IA programme, but still contribute to the wider picture of improvement across the town.
These include:
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Old SH1 revocation work led by NZTA
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the Mill Road/Rāhui Road roundabout upgrade
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a new drinking water supply bore in Tasman Road
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Ōtaki Civic Theatre seismic strengthening.
Good things take time
This is a 10-year programme, with multiple projects happening at different stages across Ōtaki.
Infrastructure upgrades of this scale are complex. They need to be carefully planned, coordinated with other projects, and delivered in a way that balances cost, timing, and community impact.
This staged approach helps align infrastructure delivery with growth, asset renewal needs, and available funding.
Ōtaki reservoir
What happens next
While much of the current work focuses on key growth areas, planning for the future doesn’t stop here.
Council continues to review infrastructure needs across the district through annual and long-term planning.
Priorities are reviewed each year based on growth, condition of assets, budget, and community needs.
The next Long-term Plan (2027–37) will provide opportunity for the community to have a say on future priorities.
