Western Bay of Plenty District Council has a new storm watcher.

A CCTV camera has been installed at Two Mile Creek, Waihī Beach, to help monitor stormwater flows.

The camera will take periodic photos of the stream during different conditions, such as heavy rain and high tides, and the data will be used by Council to improve the stormwater network, mitigate flooding risks and plan for future upgrades.

Its range has been carefully selected to ensure residents’ privacy, with the camera pointing towards the stream, and private properties masked from its field of vision.

It is the first time Council has used a CCTV camera in this way and, if the trial proves successful, cameras could be introduced to other critical points in the stormwater network.

Private properties are masked from the camera's field of vision. Photo: WBOPDC.

Council’s Asset Manager Team Leader, James Abraham, says the idea came from a stormwater conference he attended last year.

“Other councils have implemented similar CCTV systems and these have been successful in identifying potential issues early and supporting planning and maintenance efforts,” says James.

“For instance, Auckland Council has combined CCTV cameras with AI technology that generates service requests for the maintenance contractor to go out and clear blockages. This will be the ultimate goal in the future.”

Using CCTV cameras to monitor stormwater is a low-cost, non-invasive solution, which will provide valuable data without infringing on residents' privacy, says James.

“If successful, this could become a standard practice for monitoring other critical points in the network, helping to ensure the long-term resilience of the stormwater system.”