The grant – drawn from the recently established emergency waste funding – will help cover the costs of flood-related waste cleanup, waste and resource recovery infrastructure repairs, and the removal of silt from affected properties.

“The Tasman district was hit multiple times by severe flooding this winter, leaving in its wake vast volumes of waste from households, orchards and farms, the scale of which was beyond the region’s capacity to manage alone,” Ms Simmonds says.

“I understand growers in Riwaka and other settlements along the Motueka River have been among the hardest hit, with many facing devastating crop losses and serious damage to essential infrastructure like sheds, cool stores, packhouses and worker accommodation. 

“Silt has also been a major challenge for the region, with thick deposits left across orchards, paddocks and residential areas, making clean-up efforts more complex and costly.

“The impact on livelihoods and the wider community is significant, and this funding will help ease the clean-up costs and support the council and community as they continue to recover.” 

Ms Simmonds says the emergency waste funding was set up to help councils with the cost of managing waste following an emergency, giving them timely access to a cash injection when communities most need it.

“The Government is committed to supporting councils and communities in dealing with the aftermath of severe weather.

“Tasman has a long recovery ahead, and this funding will help ease some of the pressure and support the community as it gets back on its feet.”

To further support the council, the Ministry for the Environment is helping it apply for a waiver of the waste disposal levy to further reduce the financial burden of disposing of silt and other flood-related waste.

“We know how hard people have been working to clean up and rebuild, and we’re grateful for the resilience and care they’ve shown for one another.”

For further information visit: Emergency waste funding | Ministry for the Environment