East End Surf Life Saving Club rides sustainability wave with NPDC funding help

Sun, sand and surf used to be the perfect day at the beach, but New Plymouth’s East End Surf Life Saving Club looks forward to a bit of rain now too - thanks to a new rainwater storage system funded by NPDC’s Community Climate Action Fund.

The club, which has almost 400 members, runs the tap for about an hour and a half every day at the height of summer to wash down rescue equipment after every patrol and training session, while boards, rescue skis, IRBs, and other lifesaving gear require regular cleaning to remove salt and sand, and prevent corrosion.

With growing pressure on water supplies and the introduction of water metering, relying on mains water was an environmental and financial challenge, said Nicole Attrill, of the East End Surf Life Saving Club.

With about $7,000 in funding from NPDC Community Climate Action Fund, the club installed a tank to capture and store rainwater from the clubroom’s roof, and the collected water is now used to wash down equipment, cutting the club’s use of treated mains water while ensuring rescue gear is maintained to a high standard.

“By increasing water self-sufficiency, the club is less vulnerable to any future water restrictions, rising water costs, and periods of drought. Not only does it offset our water usage, but it also introduces climate-conscious practices to our club that will hopefully inspire all our members to remember that the ocean and environment we love depends on all of us playing our part,” said Ms Attrill.

Mayor Max said the project is a win-win for the club and for ratepayers, and showed how small changes can make a big difference.

“East End Surf Life Saving Club has offset its future costs with a relatively simple one-off project, while also doing their bit to ease the pressure on our public water infrastructure.  Small improvements like this can add up to benefit the whole community and I encourage more groups to apply,” said Max.

By making better use of a natural resource that would otherwise be lost as stormwater runoff, the rainwater tank is a practical example of climate adaptation and resilience in action, said NPDC Climate Change Response Lead Greg Stephens.

“The project demonstrates how relatively small infrastructure investments can help community organisations become more sustainable, reduce operating costs, and strengthen their ability to deliver essential services in a changing climate,” said Mr Stephens.

Applications for funding from the Community Climate Action Fund are open until 30 September. Find out more here.

At a glance

• In 2023, the Mayor and Councillors adopted the District-wide Emissions Reduction Plan, which outlines NPDC’s actions to reduce its emissions and contribute to a cleaner and greener future.
• An updated Resilience Energy and Climate Action Plan (RECAP) is open for feedback until September 15.
• The Community Climate Action Fund has $75,000 for projects that foster community action and transition to a sustainable, net zero emissions, climate resilient future.
• It is available to not-for-profit community groups, mana whenua trusts and schools in the District, as well as research institutes.

Caption: East End SLSC members Sam Tippett (with hose), Siza Zhanje and Luka Broughton was down a rescue boat with rainwater from the tank.