Rangitīkei District Council

31/08/2026

How'd you like to win two tickets to The Mudder 2026 at Rangitikei Farmstay 👀

"YES!”

Well, you're in luck, because we have a double pass to give away 😄

All you need to do is comment below and let us know who you'd like to take with you, and you're in the draw!

We'll draw the lucky winner on Friday 11 September.

Good luck! 🤞

30/08/2026

Another FYI for motorists travelling on SH1 today and tomorrow 👇

⚠️ MetService New Zealand have issued a road snowfall warning for the Desert Rd, for 7 hrs from 11pm Monday, 31 August until 6am, Tuesday 1 September.

❄️ Snow showers are expected to affect higher parts of the road late Monday night and early Tuesday morning. Around 1 cm of snow could accumulate above 800 metres.

🚘 Please take care if driving through this area - it only takes a few centimetres of snow on a road to make driving dangerous.

🗺️ If you are travelling please check NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi - Manawatū-Whanganui & Taranaki Journey Planner before you go: https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/journey-planner

👀 Keep an eye on the MetService New Zealand app or website for weather updates.

📱You can visit our website anytime to see the latest weather watches and warnings in our region: https://www.mwcdem.govt.nz/

26/08/2026

UPDATE - Friday 28 August:

Due to issues with our live streaming technology, yesterday's Assets/Infrastructure, Risk/Assurance and Finance/Performance meetings were recorded and uploaded to YouTube.

We apologise for any inconvenience.

-

Mōrena all!

Today's Assets/Infrastructure meeting is being recorded and will be uploaded to our YouTube channel later today or tomorrow.

Unfortunately we're experiencing technical issues with live streaming, we hope to have this resolved soon.

25/08/2026

A bit of a grizzle for a Wednesday is about to follow, unfortunately 😡

Our staff have noticed an increase in vandalism and graffiti at some of our public toilets (these photos come from the Bulls Domain and Rangitīkei Junction toilets) 😤

Toilet paper and hand soap dispensers have been either stolen or broken as well, and it's all needless damage and an unnecessary cost to ratepayers 💰

If you happen to know who's responsible for damage like this, please feel free to give us a call on 0800 422 522 and let us know. Your call will be strictly confidential 🤐

And if it is you that's causing this damage 👀, I hope that next time you sit on a public loo, the toilet paper dispenser is empty 😊

25/08/2026

💧 Central Districts Water – Statement of Expectations

Wait! Don't scroll on yet 😅

Yes, we know a Statement of Expectations (SoE) sounds like the type of document you'd probably like to avoid reading... but this one is actually pretty important, so grab your reading glasses 🥸 (if you need them, that is)!

Central Districts Water (CDW) takes over our water services from 1 July 2027, and there's a fair bit of work happening behind the scenes to make sure it's ready to do that.

One of those jobs has been agreeing on a SoE with Palmerston North City Council, Horowhenua District Council and Ngā Tapūwae o Hau.

Basically, it's the four of us setting out what we expect CDW to deliver for our communities.

And something we've been pretty clear about throughout this process is that local knowledge and the needs of our Rangitīkei communities can't get lost just because we're moving to a regional water organisation.

We have different communities, different infrastructure and different challenges to Palmerston North and Horowhenua, and that's recognised in the SoE.

The key takeaway is that CDW can deliver the benefits of working across a much larger water network without losing sight of the communities that they actually serve.

And importantly for you (yes, you 🫵), it sets out expectations around affordable, efficient, safe and reliable water services. As well as long-term planning, accountability and staying connected with our communities.

Mayor Andy Watson says:

“What has worked well through this process is that we haven’t tried to pretend every community is the same. The Statement gives CDW a clear expectation to deliver the benefits of working regionally while keeping a strong local focus.”

If reading an SoE sounds like your idea of a good time, we've put the link in the comments below. 😉

And just a reminder... we're still responsible for your water services until 30 June 2027.

So if you've got a water service request before then, don't start calling or messaging CDW just yet. It's still us you need to contact 📱

24/08/2026

💧 Water. It gets around... no, not like that!

There's so much need for water in our district beyond what we use to drink, cook, wash and bathe.

Think about the businesses that rely on water for their operations. Farms, engineering, hospitality... the list goes on.

Then there's the environment. Our rivers, streams, ecosystems and wildlife all rely on healthy water and a plentiful supply.

And, of course, there's everything we do in it for fun. Swimming, fishing, rafting, jet-boating, surfing... again, the list goes on.

So perhaps it's not surprising that so much of what Council does is related to water.

In fact, around a third of Council's rates expenditure goes towards our drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services — helping ensure the water we drink is safe, our wastewater is properly treated, stormwater is managed, and the infrastructure supporting all three is maintained and renewed.

💧 Water plays a pretty big part in life around here.

So this World Water Week, here's to H₂O.

We'd be in a bit of trouble without it.

23/08/2026

If you happen to see someone standing very still in western Taihape, holding a pole over the ground for several minutes, there’s no need to be concerned. They're not lost!

From 31 August to 3 September, our friends at Earth Sciences New Zealand will be out and about carrying out monitoring of the Taihape West Slip.

They’ll be tracking down existing survey markers and taking new measurements, which we can compare with information collected previously. At some locations, that means holding surveying equipment over a marker for a few minutes. At others, you might spot a tripod spending the day in a paddock.

It’s all about giving us up-to-date information to help understand the slip and support future planning and risk management.

Most of the survey points are on public or non-residential land, but a small number are on private properties. We'll be sending out letters to those property owners with more information.

Also, this work isn’t in response to a recent event or new concern. It’s about keeping our information up to date and planning ahead.

So, if you spot the Earth Sciences New Zealand team...

Equipped with a pole? ✅
Or a tripod? ✅
And they're looking intently at the ground? ✅
You don't need to give them directions... everything going to plan 😁

You can find out more about the work, including what the survey involves, on our website 👇

20/08/2026

Marton Swim Centre Update 🏊 – August

“But you’re only replacing the roof!”

We’ve heard this a few times about the Marton Swim Centre project... So we thought we’d show you a little more of what’s going on inside 🧐.

Over August, contractors have been doing seismic strengthening work around the columns and foundations of the main pool, to bring this part of the centre up to Grade B (>67% New Building Standard).

The work involves exposing the existing foundations and pouring new reinforced concrete pads. These are then connected to the existing columns using epoxy dowels, providing additional restraint and strengthening the structure 💪.

This type of work gets covered up again, which means once the project is finished, you may never know it’s there (unless you read this post 👀), but it’s important and quite substantial.

Fingers crossed 🤞, work on the roof will begin in September once all the frame parts have arrived on site.

19/08/2026

Check out this great initiative from Farmstrong 👇

The Mudder is about promoting that exercise helps your mental health! We love what it stands for and love how the event has helped so many people over the years!

We are lucky to be supported by Farmstrong who have donated a $100 Mitre 10 voucher to giveaway🥳

💫 do you want to boost your wellbeing with practical tips that actually work?

Farmstrong's fortnightly Toolbox Tips email delivers one short, practical idea on how to help your wellbeing.

✅Sign up today, and you'll go in the draw to win a $100 voucher:
https://farmstrong.co.nz/sign-up/?signupSource=signup_website&newsletterType=newsletter&utm_source=social&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=newsletter_sign_up

This giveaway runs from Monday, 17 August - Friday, 21 August 2026. T&C’s apply and can be found in the comments.