Tararua District Council deals with Three Waters matters

Akitio Beach.

Tararua District Council's monthly meeting on Wednesday, November 24 considered three matters pertaining to water.

After a lengthy debate, the council decided to formally join the Three Waters Campaign with 20 other councils opposing the Three Waters Reform takeover of local bodies' water assets, which was announced on October 27 by the Minister of Local Government.

Councillors were unanimous in their desire to fight this proposed takeover saying it was a threat to democracy, which removes local control over water assets Tararua has been carefully building for a decade.

A number were concerned this move to take over the Three Waters could be the start of other central government takeovers with reforms to the Resource Management Act and Local Body Reforms looming. Cr Wards said this fight could be "the blueprint for later battles" and Mayor Collis said we need to act now so we can tell our children we acted when democracy was threatened.

Cr Hull said thousands of locals supported the fight and this was illustrated by Phil Hartridge speaking at the public forum when the meeting opened, representing the Tararua Economic Impact Group, which urged the TDC to sign the Memorandum of Understanding joining the other councils in their opposition.

Another speaker at the forum was Peter Greatbatch, speaking to the request from Akitio ratepayers that the TDC take over the Akitio Beach community sewage treatment and disposal system. This is a private scheme owned by the James-Bunz Family Trust and urgently needs upgrading to save the beach from pollution.

The council estimated the costs to ratepayers could be $27,300 per property and while taking over the scheme was the best option from a cultural and environmental perspective, does not align with its Infrastructure Strategy "coming at significant capital and operational costs, which would benefit only those existing properties connected to the wastewater system within Akitio".

Greatbatch said the research into the possible costs were too extreme and that simpler remedies than those proposed could be put in place.

Councillors were opposed to the taking over of the scheme and voted against the request but added an offer to work with the Akitio residents to help resolve the issue. "After all," said one councillor, "everyone wants a pollution-free beach."

Meanwhile, the news on the Dannevirke Impounded Water Supply is good with the reservoir filling at a rate of 110 litres per second and sitting at 5metres full.

Group manager infrastructure Chris Chapman said that even at the reduced rate of 78 litres per second at the Tamaki River intake because of lower stream flows the team is optimistic the reservoir will be full at 12 metres by Christmas, assuming predicted rains eventuate.

This comes at a cost with hosing restrictions in Dannevirke increased from alternate days at present to alternate days but nights only on December 1.

Chapman said an action plan for right across the district is soon to be announced.