This lead to the board starting conversations with council about possible options going forward.
The acting chairwoman of the Te Pohue Water Board, Kiri Goodspeed , said the main reason they wanted to hand management over to council was the complexity of compliance requirements under the Drinking Water Standards.
"The standards are very complex and place small community supplies under immense pressure to comply.
"As the standards are under review by Central Government this year they are likely to get even more complicated.
"To future proof our water supply and remove the pressure from our community group it just made sense to turn to the council."
A community meeting was held on March 27, attended by Mohaka ward councillor Tania Kerr and Craig Thew, group manager for asset management.
Kerr said the evidence suggested that while council had handed over maintenance of the water supply it had not relinquished ownership.
In a community survey, 20 people were in favour of the supply's management being returned to council and two against.
No costing has been done by council as to the price tag associated with taking back control of the water supply, but immediate improvements to provide safer water are likely to cost $75,000 - $100,000.
There is an estimated $100,000 needed per year for operational costs, most likely funded through a targeted rate, and an estimated $1 million for further capital investment to bring the water supply to acceptable drinking standards.
This is based on the cost of other small water supplies, rather than specific costings done for the Te Pohue supply.
Part of the safety improvements include chlorinating the water, an issue which was discussed at the community meeting, with council representatives making it clear that if the community did not want its water chlorinated, then they should not ask HDC to take control of the supply.
Goodspeed said the water supply had been periodically chlorinated.
"Although there is some concern about how the system will work in the future there is acceptance that we will need to have chlorine added for now."
Hastings District Council will vote on whether to take back the water management at a meeting on Tuesday, June 4.
Council officers recommendation is that council takes over control of the supply.