New Central City Ruakiwi Reservoir
Find out about the new 25-million-litre reservoir we are building beside Hamilton Lake to increase water storage and supply for a growing central city.
What we are building
The new reservoir makes sure safe and reliable drinking water supply continues for homes, businesses and essential services, including Waikato Hospital, as more people live, work and invest in central Hamilton over the coming decades.
The project features:
- A new 25-million-litre reservoir on Ruakiwi Road, next to the existing reservoir at Hamilton Lake.
- A booster pump station on Clarence Street to help move water from the reservoir into the central city drinking water network.
- Supporting pipes, valve chambers and site infrastructure needed to connect the reservoir to the wider water network.
Part of a wider programme
This project is part of a city-wide programme to grow up and out from the central city.
How much will it cost?
The reservoir and pumpstation have a budget of $86 million, 100% funded by the Crown Infrastructure Acceleration Fund (IAF).
This budget includes project management, technical investigation and construction.
In 2022, Hamilton City Council was allocated $150.6 million in IAF funding to build core infrastructure needed for more homes. As of 1 July 2026, IAWAI is now delivering major water infrastructure as part of Council’s commitment.
Why we need it
Supporting a growing central city:
By 2035, around 10,800 more people are expected to live in the central city and surrounds. To support this growth, the water network needs more storage, and resilient water pipes and pump stations to deliver the highest-quality drinking water to every tap.
Replacing and strengthening ageing infrastructure:
The existing Ruakiwi Reservoir has supplied the central city for more than 100 years, but it no longer has the capacity needed for future demand. The new reservoir will increase drinking water storage, improve firefighting capacity and provide stronger support for key services, including Waikato Hospital.
Working with the community
Years of planning, technical investigations, and community feedback led by Hamilton City Council now IAWAI, helped shape the design and layout of the reservoir site, including access, landscaping and how the area may be used in the future.
We will continue to work directly with nearby residents, businesses, mana whenua, stakeholders and users of Hamilton Lake Domain as more construction detail is confirmed.
Timeline
2022 - 2026
Technical investigations.
18 Feb - 18 Mar 2025
Community feedback helps shape the design and layout of the reservoirs site and identify how people use the space.
May 2025
Targeted residents workshop to feedback on potential reservoir and landscape design elements.
26 Jun - 13 Jul 2025
Community-wide engagement on a reservoir concept design formed by community feedback from above. Find out the detail here.
23 Sep - 22 Oct 2025
RMA Designation and Reserves Reclassification.
21 April 2026
The reservoir site on Lake Domain Reserve is designated under the Resource Management Act for two new reservoirs.
Council also approved the reclassification of the land for two new reservoirs under the Reserves Act at its Community Committee meeting on 21 April.
Find out more:
1 July 2026
IAWAI – Flowing Waters delivers the project.
Oct 2026 - 2028
Reservoir and pumpstation construction.
FAQs
What will happen to the current Ruakiwi reservoir?
The current Ruakiwi reservoir is considered a heritage site due to its aesthetic and engineering characteristics that were modern for its time.
The new central city reservoirs will be situated next to the current Ruakiwi reservoir. When the new reservoir is complete, the current one will be decommissioned to realise energy savings.
Although the current reservoir has done an excellent job for central Hamilton, it is starting to wear and does not provide the capacity needed for our growing city.
What construction impacts can we expect?
Building a reservoir and connecting infrastructure is complex work. People near the site may notice construction traffic, noise, vibration, changes to parking or access, and activity around the work area. We will work with the construction partner, nearby residents, businesses and stakeholders to reduce and manage impacts wherever possible.
What’s so great about this location for reservoirs?
- Moving water through pipes requires energy and pressure – from the river to the reservoir and reservoir to the tap.
- Being on top of the hill is central to the supply zone, with multiple benefits including:
- The location has sufficient elevation to service most of the central city through gravity.
- Gravity doesn’t suffer a power cut or breakdowns so will always be available to get water to the community.
- It’s close to the existing infrastructure for moving large amounts of high-quality drinking water around the city.