Dam Penstocks for Otawere Reservoir

The Otawere Reservoir project in New Zealand’s Waimate North, is a significant investment in regional water security for the Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust. The scheme comprises a main dam and saddle dam forming a 50-hectare reservoir with a storage capacity of approximately 4 million cubic metres, designed to improve drought resilience, increase water security and support long-term economic growth across the Mid North.

AWMA contributed to the project through the supply of two critical penstock gates forming part of the reservoir's outlet works.

This included a TLF Penstock for flow regulation and a WLF Penstock for isolation of the outlet, both engineered to accommodate approximately 15m of head pressure.

The penstocks were manufactured from Grade 304 stainless steel, providing long-term durability, corrosion resistance and reliable performance.

Installed within the outlet structure, the TLF penstock provides controlled regulation of water releases from the reservoir, while the WLF penstock enables complete isolation of the outlet for maintenance and operational safety. Together, the gates play an important role in the effective management and control of water flows from the storage facility.

Now operational and actively filling, the Otawere Reservoir represents a major milestone for Northland's water infrastructure. AWMA is proud to have supported the project through the supply of robust, high-quality penstock solutions that will contribute to the reservoir's safe and reliable operation for decades to come.