Stead Street FAQs

The new pump station is part of a comprehensive flood protection scheme that helps to protect Invercargill City and nationally critical infrastructure (Invercargill airport) from inundation from flood waters. The pumps effectively move water from the channels and drains on the land side to the estuary.

The need to replace the Stead Street pump station was driven by the age of the existing infrastructure, which was installed in the early 1960s.

The former pump house and pumps were at the end of their life, and there was an increased risk of failure. Unlike the old pump station, the new facility meets a requirement to manage fish passage under the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater introduced in 2020.

In 2020, Environment Southland secured $2.25 million of funding from central government as a contribution to assist in replacing the ageing Stead Street pump station.

The contract price for the pump station was $8.3 million. In August 2022, Council allocated a budget of $11 million for the pump station design and construction and provision of two fish-friendly Archimedes screw pumps.

The Waihōpai Rūnaka gifted the name Te Kupeka o Waimātaitai to the new pump station at the start of its development. Waimātaitai refers to the mix of coastal sea and freshwater forming the brackish waters of an estuary. Kupeka refers to a long fishing net, used as inspiration for the mahi toi (artwork) on the front of the building.

The open weave design symbolises the importance of environmental care and conservation for future generations. The voids allow water and smaller creatures to pass through, while larger fish are gathered by the net.

The directional flow of the design represents the interchange of waitī and waitā—fresh and salt waters—emphasising the mana whenua kaupapa and the concept of ‘Ki uta, ki tai’. At its heart lies the mana derived from intergenerational protection and care, ensuring the health and wellbeing of taoka species.

The Waihōpai Rūnaka Cultural Narratives Committee guided the cultural input and design development for this project. Local artist James York worked with designer Keri Whaitiri and the wider project team to develop the kupeka, which was fabricated by Christchurch’s Art Fetiche and installed by JK’s Engineering. Corten and stainless steel were chosen for their durability and self-protective properties, ideal materials for local conditions.

The design and construction for the artwork was $203,138. In addition, the costs for integrating it into the site are $82,336. This is comparable to other artworks of similar scale around Murihiku Southland. Key aspects to the project include design, fabrication of the pieces and significant engineering to the supporting structure.

The Waihōpai Rūnaka Cultural Narratives Committee guided the cultural input and design development for this project. Local artist James York worked with designer Keri Whaitiri and the wider project team to develop the kupeka, which was fabricated by Christchurch’s Art Fetiche, with significant engineering and steel work by JK’s Engineering.

The mahi toi was planned as part of the overall Stead Street pump station project, which was co-funded by central Government and Environment Southland.

It is the final installation for the area, integrating seamlessly with related projects on Stead Street and Airport Avenue and is part of Te Ara Tūpuna(Waihōpai to Ōreti) and Te Ara Taurapa, which features mana whenua interpretation panels along the Waihōpai Invercargill-to-Motupōhue Bluff multi-use trail. These panels map the ancestral pathways (Ara Tawhito) that crisscross the region.

Next steps include the decommissioning of the old pump station and the launch of a tuna/eel monitoring programme in 2025.

Planting around the area will also be completed once the decommissioning of the old pump station is completed.