Civil defence  |  14h ago

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Investigations are continuing to understand potential remediation options for land instability affecting Lighthouse Road and surrounding area in Akaroa.

Borehole drilling began today (Monday 30 June) to give a better knowledge of the groundwater conditions and the makeup of the land beneath the ground surface.

General Manager City Infrastructure Brent Smith says these insights will inform the planning and design of potential remedial measures to help with land instability that occurred following the significant rainfall at the start of May.

“We’re working closely with our geotechnical experts to better understand the situation, our options and plan our next steps. The information from the borehole drilling will help us refine our geological modelling and inform what we do next.

“We appreciate the patience of the community, particularly the residents and businesses that have been affected by the restricted road access caused by the land instability.”

The borehole drilling is expected to take about one week, depending on the weather conditions. It is being carried out in areas identified as requiring further investigation following mapping of surface features and geological modelling.

Other work already completed includes an upgrade of a farm track to provide alternate access in case of another closure of Lighthouse Road, repairs to the road and debris flow modelling to help understand where debris could travel under different scenarios.

Mr Smith says monitoring equipment installed on Lighthouse Road gives the Council regular information about land movement in the area.

“The monitoring so far shows there has been no significant movement since the severe weather event. However, if any new or large cracks appear residents should contact emergency services immediately on 111.

“We will continue to share information with affected residents and the wider community as our investigations continue.”