Charlie Hutchison: Main focus needs to be on less pollution

CANDIDATE: Charlie Hutchison is standing for the Ruataniwha ward in the CHB Distriction Council local elections. PHOTO/SUPPLIED.

With six years having gone by since the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme was put to the people of Central Hawke's Bay, it seems that the original euphoria of "The Dam" has spawned mainly pro publications and an unbalanced view of the dam and what it may do.

Local mayor Peter Butler, described as the "poster boy" for the Dam, has used every opportunity to promote the scheme, but without using the facts. Also local HBRC councillor Debbie Hewitt has put herself in the position of casting vote at the council table.

I have extreme concerns as to whether these persons have looked at all the facts, or just don't understand them.

Mr Butler has publicly suggested that those against the Dam scheme should stand for our local council so the voters could squash them. Sounds to me like the perfect strategy when you can't support your case.

The original concept, with supposed due diligence and future proofing carried out, gave us a dam and infrastructure to cost $285m. I understand that the cost today is $985m (with some changes in the build) little wonder then that there is not a main investor in place, or a list of private investors waiting to contribute.

Proponents of the dam talk only of benefits but do not notice that financially the project is being "forced" and not just "falling into place".

Lifespan is also an issue. Originally a 100 years concept this is now shortened to 70 years.. At this point the dam structure will be de-constructed at an estimated cost to our ratepayer grandchildren of $330m.

So maybe the dam cost should be quoted at $1.28 billion.

Much has been made of the projected number of jobs that will be created.

Please show me an actual study that supports the numbers, not the guestimates that are bandied about.

The current figure of 3500 is ridiculous. Once the dam is built the opportunities will not be as great as some believe.

Not only are the "within the physical footprint of the dam ' job prospects being inflated, future employment numbers are just hopeful guessing and quite fanciful.

The bigger problem of the dam proposal is the environmental aspects .

It would be great to have better quality water in the CHB townships, and yes that would bring better living conditions and more growth, but at what cost ?

The area of land where the "footprint" of the dam will be is already under intense scrutiny by Hawkes Bay Regional Council staff in respect of water contamination from Phosphates, Nitrogen Nitrates, E-coli and others.

If irrigation is to occur , much of the area concerned will not be able to increase livestock numbers, because of an increase in contaminant leaching to underground aquifers.
The original plan of utilising 9000 ha for intensive dairy farming has already been scuttled by the HBRC staff due to unsuitability .

The pollution of our aquifers is already extremely high, we simply cannot risk anymore.
The plan now presented to us is to plant 2000ha of grapes, and 2000ha of apples.

Nobody has signed up for this concept simply because of the weather conditions in the area, namely frost and wind. Again the flagship idea for the dam is scuttled.

If you take away the biggest reason for putting in the dam, then you take away the reason for prospective top end investment, so failure is the probable result.

Yes there could be some benefits from the dam but these could only occur if the top end use for the water was financially viable., and no environmental damage.
It is no longer acceptable to pollute the countryside in any form and the Ruataniwha dam will do a hell of a lot of that.

The Regional Councillors are split 5 to 4 on the scheme and the 5 that are for are now termed the "dam five" and it seems they are not voting for the dam but to save face. If they continue ignoring the facts they will be seen as the "damned five" who hung an environmental and financial millstone around our grandchildren's necks.

The council candidates for Napier Hastings, show a split of 12 for, 22 against, and 9 "on the fence" with regards the Ruataniwha Dam, so maybe it is time for the CHB proponents to "put up or shut up" .

A better solution to our water issues in CHB will be found. Our current main focus needs to be on less pollution.

# Charlie (Chipper) Hutchison is standing as a candidate in the Central Hawke's Bay District Council's Ruatnaiwha Ward.
Views expressed here are the writer's opinion and not the newspaper's. Email: editor@hbtoday.co.nz