I am aware of where our water supply comes from. What is not used goes out to sea. By taking the water out as much as we can, will save Jacinda’s world and will lessen the matter of sea level rise concern. It will also lessen erosion along the coast and at estuaries and support the TCDC Coastal Protection Plan and Waikato Regional Council’s enthusiasm for soft solutions.
What I am focussing on aside from all these side issues, is the matter of why there are water restrictions so often starting from October when we have so much rain and we have a strong flowing water source and now we will be monitored for the use of our water and pay for it. The matter for concern is that the monitoring and measuring cannot possibly be fair.
The Council has reported that all is going to plan but the unbundling of water meters that might bring us closer to a fair and equitable means of charging for water usage, will not be sorted until 2028/2029. The water meters came with a $5million grant from the labour government to herald in the Three Waters proposal. It was a local sweetener. There was no consultation with ratepayers then and the system had one meter installed for entire apartment blocks.
Along with that, the meters were not the up-to-date technology. With our Whitianga meters, the meter reader needs to get out of the vehicle and find the meter and then take the reading.
With the electronically read meters, usage is read by a machine in the car directly transferred to online programmes. The cost of employing the reader is yet another on the ratepayer and would have to be seen as inefficient unless the person is training for cross fit.
By the way, Hamilton City does not have water meters. Is that because the mighty Waikato River is so amazingly plentiful?
Back to our water supply. The 309 stream did not dry up in the drought of three years ago when the town bought water. That stream has always had a strong flow. Why are we so water restricted? Are there issues with water treatment upgrading? Are the developers paying for their fair share of the upgrade of water treatment and sewerage services? Upgrading needs to be offset with development and payment by developers put aside for future maintenance and upgrading. Is this happening? Has it happened?
Some things needs to be managed better. There is a lot of good talk about increasing tourism to be all year round. The water service needs to match those plans with more foresight.
