Greater Wellington Regional Council chairman Daran Ponter. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Greater Wellington Regional Council chairman Daran Ponter. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Wellington's fluoride failure has raised questions for the regional council about the state of its other water assets.
Wellington Water has been put under the microscope following revelations it oversaw low and inconsistent levels of fluoridation in the region's water supply for four years without telling anyone.
Furthermore, it turned off fluoride at two plants last year without notifying the company's board, the council, or residents.
It means people living in Upper Hutt, Porirua, and Wellington City have been going without fluoride in their water for months.
Greater Wellington Regional Council chairman Daran Ponter said the situation raised questions about "other rocks" the council needed to look under to ensure performance was up to scratch.
An independent review is already underway into the failure and the regional council is looking to introduce a new key performance indicator for fluoride.
Now, Wellington Water has also been asked to provide a complete breakdown of the rest of the council's water assets and their condition.
Ponter said once that information has been received, the council will consider next steps, including whether an independent auditor was needed.
"Clearly this set of circumstances has rocked our confidence to some extent.
"Wellington Water came and presented to the regional council last week and they left with a clear understanding about how we felt about their performance."
Wellington Water chief executive Colin Crampton. Photo / Mark Tantrum
Ponter said the relationship between the two organisations has been "tested".
"There's not a single councillor on my council who's not bitterly disappointed with the performance of Wellington Water in relation to the fluoride issue."
Wellington Water chief executive Colin Crampton said the company has an open and collaborative relationship with the regional council.
"We work well together and remain committed to this continuing in the future."
Crampton acknowledged Wellington Water failed to communicate the decision to turn off fluoride in a timely and accurate manner.
"To not do so falls well short of the standard we set for ourselves.
"We apologise sincerely for the concern and disappointment this lack of communication has caused and we have also apologised directly to Greater Wellington Regional Council, the owners of the Water Treatment Plants and fluoride facilities."
Wellington Water's focus in the meantime was to safely restore fluoride- work which was already underway, Crampton said.
