"It is considered that this could cause enteric contamination of the groundwater through an animal defecating in the area of the insecure duct or when floodwaters cover the ground surface most notably when at a height greater than the control cable duct."
Neither council had any record of their responses to this complaint and the inquiry was left with no significant evidence other than the email itself.
It was noted that if this complaint had been actioned adequately by the regional council in 2002, it should have led to the detection of numerous insecure bores in the vicinity of the district council's drinking water bores.
The inquiry received evidence from the district council's investigator, Mr Mananui, of at least 12 insecure bores in the vicinity of Brookvale Rd. These clearly involved a contamination risk for the drinking water source.
"Undoubtedly, the 2002 Mr Inkson email was another missed opportunity for both the regional council and the district council.
"Neither organisation identified insecure bores as a significant area of risk to the aquifer used as the source for Havelock North drinking water."
Mr Inkson told Hawke's Bay Today exclusively that after a 1998 campylobacter outbreak, he thought both councils might have been more diligent.
In 1998 there were cases of campylobacter from the same bores and the likely point of entry for contaminated surface water was a leaking power supply cable gland.
"Regrettably, while the two outbreaks shared remarkable similarities, it appears nothing was learned from the July 1998 outbreak," the inquiry stated.
The former Hawke's Bay District Health Board drinking water assessor was disappointed that he never had a response regarding his complaints.
"An email is a form of prompt writing and it is not unusual to not get a response, I guess it depends on how they view the priority of what is being said.
"I think the inquiry is justice being served and they have put together a reasonable report so I sure do hope the bore is fixed now."
Hawke's Bay Regional Council chairman Rex Graham said it was a "disgrace" that no one responded to an official representative of public health.
"If his complaint subsequently does prove to be correct it is terrible, but nevertheless even if it doesn't his email should have been taken seriously and given consideration. It is a big let-down from both councils."
Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule agreed that the email should have been responded to and said he couldn't defend either council's actions.
"This is all part of the findings and we are looking at how this can never happen again."
