Water use falls in Christchurch as residents fear new charges
From reporter Tina Law:
Christchurch residents are using less water as the threat of being chargedhits home.
The city council says water use has decreased by more than 10% since charges for using too much were introduced, saving millions of litres.
The council introduced an excess water charge in October after making the decision to push ahead with the scheme in 2021.
The first bills are due to be sent out later this month, but people have already been reducing how much they use.
According to figures supplied by the council, the average daily water use per household has consistently dropped each month since April, compared to the same period the previous year.
Last month, residents used on average 645 litres of water, compared to 767 litres in January 2022, a 16% decrease.
May saw the biggest monthly year-to-year drop so far, of 26%.
Under the new rules, people will be charged a fixed rate of $1.35 for every 1000 litres they use over the 700-litre limit, which is the equivalent of 100 toilet flushes.
Bills will not be sent out for $25 or less, so people will have to use more than 900 litres each day over 90 days to receive a bill. Once a bill goes above $25, the person will be charged for all usage above 700 litres.
It is not yet known how many people will get a bill, but the average charge is likely to be $83 and the maximum about $400.
A council spokesperson said it was great to see the reduction in water use across the district.
“Millions of litres of water have been saved since we started a campaign to encourage residents to check and reduce their water use.”
Some of the savings are due to residents finding and fixing leaks on their properties.
“Some of these leaks were resulting in hundreds of thousands of litres of water being wasted each week.”
The council hopes water use will continue to decrease over the coming months.
However, some residents have labelled the charge as unfair, especially since almost a quarter (25,295) of Christchurch households will not be charged because they share a meter with their neighbours.
Mayor Phil Mauger has publicly labelled the charge “unfair”.
During an interview with Newstalk ZB last week, Mauger questioned the need for water charging now that many leaks had been fixed, including his own. He found he was using 3000 litres a day due to a leak.
Mauger, who in 2021 voted against the introduction of charging for excess water use, said he thought the matter should be referred to the annual plan and the public consulted again.
Cr Sam MacDonald has also expressed support for this to happen.
But Cr Sara Templeton said the charges were consulted on twice, with the proposal tweaked in between to make it more fair.
“Re-consulting continuously until you get the result you want seems a waste of council time and ratepayers' money.”
She said 20% of properties use 50% of the city’s water supply, meaning they were effectively subsidised by the 80% who use less water.
“It is simply not fair that a small unit in Linwood using little water subsidises a large, lush lawn in Fendalton.”
Templeton said the charge had proven that people did not reduce their water use or check for leaks without financial incentive.
“Without the reduction in use we will have to spend more money as a city drilling more bores and putting in more pump stations to keep up with use, putting rates up further.”
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5 Essential Tips for Parents as Kids Return to School and Travel Independently
As children return to school after the holidays, many will travel independently; walking, biking, scootering, or taking public transport.
Whilst this can be both an exciting and nerve-wracking time, encouraging independence helps children to build confidence and life skills.
Here are five tips for parents to help ease the process and ensure peace of mind.
1) Establish a Safe Route
Before school starts, take some time to practice the route with your child. Take the safest roads and pathways and be sure to cross over roads by using pedestrian and courtesy crossings, or at controlled intersections with traffic lights. Make sure they know key landmarks so they can easily navigate their way to and from school, and where they can safely go to, to ask for help if needed.
2) Teach Stranger Safety
Have regular conversations about the importance of staying aware of their surroundings (people and vehicles), and how to respond to strangers if approached. Teach them about 'safe strangers' like other families with children their age, shop assistants, and others in your neighbourhood who they can approach if they feel unsafe.
3) Equip Them with Emergency Contacts
Ensure your child knows important phone numbers, including yours and any other emergency contacts. An Emergency Card or Tag is a perfect solution for this. It's durable and easily attached to the inside or outside of a school bag, providing them with essential details like emergency contacts and medical information if they need to give it to someone. In a stressful situation, children may struggle to remember phone numbers, so having them written down can provide reassurance and peace of mind.
4) Create a Check-In Routine
If your child has access to a mobile phone, set up a simple routine where your child checks in with you at certain points of their journey - like when they leave school to come home, reach a specific landmark, or arrive at school, this way, you know they're safe.
5) Empower Their Confidence
Independence is about building confidence. Encourage your child by supporting them to develop their own problem-solving skills. Remind them that they can handle situations by asking for help or using their Emergency Card or Tag if they need it.
Over time with your guidance, children can embrace the independence of navigating their own way to and from school while you have peace of mind.
An Emergency Card or Tag acts as an extra layer of safety, ensuring that in case of any unforeseen situation, your child has vital information accessible at all times, and you can be reached when needed.
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