Water Races
Council provides two stock water races, the Moroa Race near Greytown and the Longwood Race near Featherston, which intake water from the Waiohine and Tauherenikau rivers respectively, to provide stock drinking water to surrounding farmland.
The Moroa Race is 240km long and services 8500ha of farmland. The Longwood Race is much shorter at 40km and services 1500ha of farmland.
21 January 2022 – Moroa Race restrictions
Following the recent warm and dry weather and a significant drop in river levels, restrictions have been placed on the water takes from the Waiohine River.
As a result, property owners with water races, particularly in and around Greytown, will notice a decreased flow and in some cases no flow at all. The water races in South Wairarapa divert water from the Waiohine and Tauherenikau rivers to provide livestock in surrounding farmlands with drinking water.
On the Council’s behalf, Wellington Water is diverting some water from the Greytown urban supply to the rural supply until there is sufficient rain to top up our river levels and remove the restrictions.
Click here to view the Moroa Race service area
Click here to view the Longwood service area
Click here to view the flow rate information for the water races
Water Race Review – Community engagement – survey closes 15 March
In order for us to better understand how you use your water race and plan for the future, we are asking water race ratepayers to complete a survey. This has been mailed out to all the water race ratepayers but can be completed by anyone.
Please click here to download the Moroa Race Survey
Please click here to download the Longwood Race Survey
Completed surveys can be returned by:
- Dropping it off at Council offices in Martinborough, or Greytown or Featherston libraries.
- Emailing the survey form or just the answers to Water-races@swdc.govt.nz
- Posting it back South Wairarapa District Council, 19 Kitchener Street, Martinborough 5711.
Bylaws
The Longwood and Moroa Water Race Bylaws are available to view here.
