Gisborne District Council (GDC) sought feedback on two potential options on rate rises for water issues through its Three-Year Plan, as it awaits the Government’s direction on the new “Local Water Done Well” policy.
The “preferred option” is for a lower targeted water infrastructure rate, while a “spend more, do more option” includes investing more in the future of Gisborne’s water infrastructure, at a higher rate.
Feedback was sought on six key services: water infrastructure, road maintenance, land drainage, large wood debris removal, investing in townships, and future-proofing waste disposal.
Overall, the preferred plan options proposed an average rates increase of 11.4 per cent, which means the median household would pay $75 per week in rates.
Of the 118 submissions for water infrastructure, half (61) agreed with the council’s preferred option, while 24 submitters selected the “spend more, do more” option.
A total of 33 submitters — just over a quarter — disagreed with both options, with many saying rural ratepayers should not contribute to urban ratepayers’ water.
Those who supported the rate rises said Gisborne’s water infrastructure was “third-world” and needed updating.
Submitters against the rises said they needed to see how the increases would affect rural areas, where most residents maintained their own water and waste management systems.
The council’s “preferred option” offered a 1.5 per cent increase in rate for water infrastructure, contributing $43 million to continue “business as usual”, as well as maintain its DrainWise programme, increase repairs, and renew the infrastructure of pump stations, pipes and treatment plants.
DrainWise is a council programme that works with property owners to reduce wastewater overflows.
GDC would also increase its back-up supply of replacement pipes to provide immediate fixes across the region.
This option illustrated what the council could deliver within current budget constraints and would impact debt by $13m.
A submitter from Te Karaka, Mohi Mete, agreed with this option but wanted to see a street-by-street plan to know what areas would gain investment.
“Stormwater drainage in TK township is a joke and has seen zero investment in the last 12 years.”
Gisborne's main water pipe was significantly damaged during Cyclone Gabrielle.
Richard Brooking of Te Paerauta Marae said proposed average rates rising to $75 per week was “too much”.
For his area of Te Araroa, “it is unfair to expect 1.5 per cent as a preferred option as our wastewater management is not connected to any pipeline and residents pay individual contractors to remove and empty wastewater”, he said.
The “spend more, do more” option would increase rates for water infrastructure by 2.3 per cent, giving a total budget of $53m for three years, and impacting debt by $23m.
This strategy would give GDC the ability to achieve its first option, while also being able to plan and model for alternative water supply sites and increase the work required to reduce the number of emergency wastewater overflows into Gisborne’s waterways.
Lois Easton wrote, “This area has been cut back too many times in the past, and should be a priority.”
Submitter Toby Mason said council needed to prioritise the basic but fundamental needs of having “access to fresh water and treating our sewage so it does not end up on our rivers and beaches”.
“The beaches in Tairāwhiti are our number-one asset and a key reason most people choose to live in and visit Gisborne.
“With ‘danger’ signs permanently sited at the town beach [it’s] evidently third-world,” he said.
Gisborne's wastewater network discharges raw sewage to city rivers during heavy rain, causing health warnings. Photo / Liam Clayton / The Gisborne Herald
Keryn Goldsmith of Te Riu o Waiapū said their community had always maintained their water systems themselves but selected the second option to “welcome the opportunity to be part of the early thinking that relates to water management”.
