By CATHY ARONSON
COROMANDEL - A number of protesting Coromandel businesses which are refusing to pay their water bills continue to face the threat of having their supply cut.
The Thames-Coromandel District Council threatened to restrict water to the dozen or so businesses, which have refused to pay increased charges for what they claim is low-quality water.
The council says it is owed about $50,000 by the boycotting restaurants, hotels, motels and camping grounds.
Businesses were threatened with disconnection before Labour Weekend but the council extended its deadline to yesterday and said it would allow restricted water for public health reasons.
Business Association vice-chairwoman and motel manager Robyn Stewart said those affected were still waiting for the council to act after a last-minute meeting yesterday between the two groups failed to resolve the differences.
Mrs Stewart said they had asked the council to extend the deadline until next week, when a report on the water was due to be presented to the Coromandel Community Board. The businesses would pay the bills if the council could explain the problems and promise to improve the water quality.
She said businesses would have to close if their water was restricted and would lose thousands of dollars.
If restrictions were imposed, the businesses would seek a legal opinion and would consider arguing their case before the Disputes Tribunal.
Mrs Stewart said businesses were unhappy with the water quality, wanted to know what was wrong with the new $3 million water supply and wanted the council to explain what the increased charges were for. The water bills doubled from 54c to $1.02 per cu m in July to pay for a $3 million water supply upgrade in 1997.
She said that while the water supply had improved from "slugs and sludge," the water quality was still poor and the council had used excessive amounts of chlorine to compensate.
"It has been three years of hell in a David and Goliath battle and we can't let it go on any longer. We are putting our businesses at risk to make a stand."
Council public health manager Gary Deadman said the council discovered last year that old pipes were contaminating the water supply but the treatment plant was functioning properly.
Only 85 per cent of the pipes were replaced for the new system and the council was now considering replacing the old pipes.
Contaminates in the pipes had come from the old water system, which had a Health Ministry Ee grade, the lowest possible, and was considered a high risk.
Mr Deadman said that for the past year the council had used a temporary chlorine system to compensate for the contamination and was now considering buying a permanent one.
He said 12 months of testing had shown that the water had improved and a new grade should be available soon.
Mayor Chris Lux said the council spent approximately $50,000 on two reports last year to investigate the issue and was given the all-clear.
Mrs Stewart said one of the reports, by Audit New Zealand, pointed to over-spending because of mismanagement.
She said the reports dealt with legal and management issues and did not deal with the water quality.
Businesses face big turn-off in dirty water row
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