The costs to strengthen Invercargill’s iconic water tower could exceed $1.3 million, it has been revealed.
The famous tower was closed to the public because of safety concerns following the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Now, Invercargill City Council has two options to make the landmark earthquake-safe to 20% of the legislative requirements or to 67% of the legislative requirements. If it opts for the latter option, the work would cost $1,311,000 and if it chooses the former, it would cost $775,000, Otago Daily Times reported.
The publication detailed a report by the city’s water manager, which states that should the council opt for 67% option it could look at possibly operating the tower as a tourist site. However, the report also suggested this would not necessarily be profitable.
“Whilst strengthening to the legislative minimum of 34% is permissible, the risk of collapse is assessed as five times greater than that strengthened to 67%,” the report added.
