Councillors put water contractor on the mat

By Mathew Dearnaley

PAPAKURA - United Water International will be formally asked to explain alleged breaches of its controversial 30-year franchise deal with the Papakura District Council.

Even the franchise's staunchest supporter, Mayor David Hawkins, joined a council vote to lodge a claim accusing United of breaching its contract to manage Papakura's water supply and sewage disposal.

The council says United Water has breached clauses covering water quality, infrastructural assessments, tariffs and information supply.

Its 12-0 vote was triggered by a downgrading of the district's water-quality rating from B to D, but other issues were added at the council table.

The company, a mainly British and French joint venture, will have 60 days after receiving the claim to explain why the council should not cancel the contract.

Auckland Healthcare, which downgraded Papakura's waterquality rating, will be asked to forward all records held on United since it bought the franchise for $13 million two years ago.

Mr Hawkins has championed the franchise arrangement in local government forums far and wide.

Yesterday, he denied that the vote was a show of no confidence in the agreement.

He said the council was simply invoking a mechanism in the contract that protected the interests of Papakura. And he did not believe that any of the alleged breaches were likely to bring about cancellation of the franchise.

Mike Smith, United's new Papakura-based Australian general manager, said he could not comment on a claim he had yet to receive.

But he said more frequent sampling had been introduced to prevent any further water monitoring slip-ups by a third-party contractor, which bulk water supplier Watercare has identified as itself.

Mr Smith said 51 samples of Takanini water were 100 per cent free of bacteriological contamination, but it was downgraded because of just one missed sample, costing it eight demerit points.

The penalty was much worse than if the last sample had been taken and the water found to be contaminated.

If this had happened, the overall supply would have earned an A rating.

Contamination was found in one sample at Red Hills, at a newly tested extremity of the Papakura supply, but was cleared by the next monitoring date.


Councillors put water contractor on the mat


Pictured:By Mathew Dearnaley

United Water International will be formally asked to explain alleged breaches of its controversial 30-year franchise deal with the Papakura District Council.

Even the franchise's staunchest supporter, Mayor David Hawkins, joined a council vote to lodge a claim accusing United of breaching its contract to manage Papakura's water supply and sewage disposal.

The council says United Water has breached clauses covering water quality, infrastructural assessments, tariffs and information supply.

Its 12-0 vote was triggered by a downgrading of the district's water-quality rating from B to D, but other issues were added at the council table.

The company, a mainly British and French joint venture, will have 60 days after receiving the claim to explain why the council should not cancel the contract.

Auckland Healthcare, which downgraded Papakura's waterquality rating, will be asked to forward all records held on United since it bought the franchise for $13 million two years ago.

Mr Hawkins has championed the franchise arrangement in local government forums far and wide.

Yesterday, he denied that the vote was a show of no confidence in the agreement.

He said the council was simply invoking a mechanism in the contract that protected the interests of Papakura. And he did not believe that any of the alleged breaches were likely to bring about cancellation of the franchise.

Mike Smith, United's new Papakura-based Australian general manager, said he could not comment on a claim he had yet to receive.

But he said more frequent sampling had been introduced to prevent any further water monitoring slip-ups by a third-party contractor, which bulk water supplier Watercare has identified as itself.

Mr Smith said 51 samples of Takanini water were 100 per cent free of bacteriological contamination, but it was downgraded because of just one missed sample, costing it eight demerit points.

The penalty was much worse than if the last sample had been taken and the water found to be contaminated.

If this had happened, the overall supply would have earned an A rating.

Contamination was found in one sample at Red Hills, at a newly tested extremity of the Papakura supply, but was cleared by the next monitoring date.