Hurunui’s stormwater, rural water supplies too 'complex' for Three Waters model – ,ayor

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from Northern Outlook

By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter

The Hurunui district’s complex three waters network does not fit into the government’s one size fits all Three Waters solution, mayor Marie Black says.

She said the district’s stormwater network and mixed-use rural water supplies were not compatible with the proposed model.

Black joined with Hurunui District Council chief executive Hamish Dobbie to present the council’s submission via Zoom to the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee last week.

Their submission questioned the definition of a stormwater network under the Water Services Legislation Bill.

They said Hurunui was a large rural district with about a dozen small townships with a stormwater network running continuously between urban and rural areas.

The council also managed a roading stormwater network, which was a key infrastructure component.

Under the proposed legislation, Black said the council would be left to administer ‘‘the most extensive and difficult parts of the stormwater’’, while the bulk of the stormwater assets, plant, personnel and consents would pass to the new water entity.

‘‘We are promoting a need for a comprehensive management system,’’ she said.

The rural water supplies were more complicated, as a rural property may be one-line or multiple tanks and sometimes serving several houses and stock.

Black said the government’s proposed requirement of an 85% threshold of agricultural use was too high and it could not be calculated accurately.

‘‘There is no real scientific basis for this threshold, and it does not appear to fit real world situations.’’

Other concerns included potential conflict between the water regulator Taumata Arowai and the Commerce Commission, both of which would control aspects of the water regulation.

‘‘This creates an opportunity for regulators to trip over each other,’’ Black said.

The Hurunui District Council was also a member of Communities 4 Local Democracy He hapori mō te Manapori (C4LD), which presented its submission on Monday.

‘‘I firmly believe that by retaining ownership of our three waters service assets and delivery, we can still remain affordable and locally responsive,’’ Black said.

Comment has been sought from the Department of Internal Affairs.

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