Cust water likely to remain chlorinated
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Cust’s water supply is expected to remain chlorinated for some time.
In preparing a response to Taumata Arowai’s draft residual disinfection exemption application report, the Waimakariri District Council accepts it may not make any difference.
The council applied for chlorination exemptions last year for its six urban drinking water supplies.
Taumata Arowai releasing its draft report in December, recommending the chlorine exemption in the Cust water supply be declined.
"We don’t expect this will change the decision, but we think this information should be made available to them," the council’s water asset manager, Colin Roxburgh, said.
He said council staff had been working constructively with Taumata Arowai to find a way forward.
The council has been chlorinating the Cust water supply since 2020 as a precaution after upgrading water tanks.
In its draft report, Taumata Arowai identified 15 factors that led to its recommendation to decline the exemption.
Those factors included issues with the water source and the council’s monitoring and modelling were "insufficient".
Roxburgh acknowledged the council had not provided information on its understanding of the viruses in the water supply or how it would treat them.
Taumata Arowai had concluded the ultra violet (UV) treatment proposed was "not a full treatment barrier for viruses".
But the council has highlighted evidence which it believed suggested UV treatment could be appropriate in certain circumstances.
Mayor Dan Gordon said he was disappointed not to be able to offer better news for Cust residents.
But said staff would continue to work on finding solutions to keep Waimakariri’s drinking water supplies chlorine free.
"We know our ratepayers do not want chlorinated water supplies and in our response we have again reinforced our commitment to work with Taumata Arowai to try to prevent that from happening."
Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey said he was disappointed the council had not found a way to meet Taumata Arowai’s requirements to remove chlorine from Cust’s water supply.
"It is clear Taumata Arowai has given a pathway forward and now it is up to Waimakariri to consult with its ratepayers on a plan to meet those requirements."
The council also has chlorine exemption applications for its other urban water supplies in Kaiapoi, Woodend/Pegasus, Rangiora, Waikuku and Oxford.
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Fears motorway toll could leave North Canterbury town worse off
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A community leader fears a toll on the proposed motorway extension could leave a North Canterbury town worse off.
Woodend-Sefton Community Board chairperson Shona Powell said she fears Woodend could face increased traffic without promised safety improvements, if a toll is introduced on the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway extension, which includes the proposed Woodend Bypass.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) last month announced consultation for a toll of $4.30 for light vehicles and $8.60 for heavy vehicles (including trucks) on the new 11km Manawatu Gorge Motorway, which will be completed next year.
It means commuters could be stung with paying an extra $43 a week in their travel costs.
The agency said the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway extension will be 9km, including the Woodend Bypass and the realignment and four laning south of Pineacres.
Woodend residents have been waiting for safety improvements since NZTA began consulting with the community eight years ago.
But the safety improvements have been placed on hold, pending the progress of the motorway extension.
‘‘My biggest concern is people will continue using the existing road through Woodend and will go through Kaiapoi or Tuahiwi to avoid paying the toll,’’ Powell said.
‘‘And Woodend may not get the safety improvements, so nothing changes.’’
Powell was also concerned the speed reduction from 100kph to 80kph on State Highway 1 between the Pegasus roundabout and Waikuku could be reversed, following changes to the Setting of Speed Limits rule being announced.
‘‘It was a speed limit requested by the community as a safety improvement.
‘‘To go back to having that fast speed limit for traffic coming from the north, it would just be disastrous.’’
NZTA director regional relationships James Caygill said the Government Policy Statement (GPS) on land transport requires the agency to consider tolling for new roads.
‘‘But it is too soon to discuss any potential tolling options until the scope and cost of this project has been confirmed’’.
Caygill was unable to confirm whether the 80kph speed limit between Pegasus and Waikuku would remain.
He said the agency will identify locations affected by the rule once it is finalised later in the year.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown said Waka Kotahi ‘‘is working at pace’’ to deliver the motorway extension.
‘‘NZTA’s project teams are reviewing the scope, design, cost, and timing of all Roads of National Significance projects to ensure consistency with expectations in the GPS on Land Transport 2024.’’
He said Government ‘‘will support any recommendation from NZTA to toll roads’’.
The Government was also committed to ‘‘reversing Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions’’, Brown said.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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