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Conserve or restrict: Ashburton council’s water warning
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Residents living in the Ashburton District have been warned to start using water wisely or face restrictions.
Canterbury is "staring down the barrel of a fairly dry summer”, but people are watering their gardens in peak times, putting … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Residents living in the Ashburton District have been warned to start using water wisely or face restrictions.
Canterbury is "staring down the barrel of a fairly dry summer”, but people are watering their gardens in peak times, putting pressure on the system, officials say.
The Ashburton District Council has signalled water restrictions are a real possibility unless usage habits change.
Ashburton’s seven-day rolling average daily water use has been above 22,000m3 three times in the past few weeks, a high level of use has which has put pressure on the system.
During the hot and windy weather over the weekend the consumption was around 16,000 cubic metres in Ashburton on both days.
Council staff said it’s not a supply issue, it’s a volume issue, with the people using a lot of water simultaneously causing low-pressure problems.
Mayor Neil Brown said households need to avoid excessive use during peak times or risk restrictions.
“If we need water restrictions to keep the level of service up, then we need them.”
Group manager of infrastructure and open spaces Neil McCann said water restrictions hadn’t been issued on the Ashburton scheme for a few years.
“We’re concerned right now about levels of service and complaints about low pressure.
“The time period from 5pm to 9pm is typically when demand increases significantly partly due to people watering their gardens and lawns.
“We also see people watering their lawns in the middle of the day, which is also not a good time as most of the water evaporates.
“We would like people to conserve water through smart use, so everyone has the water they need.”
Asset manager Andy Guthrie had raised the issue at the first-ever Three Waters Committee meeting on Thursday, signalling to councillors restrictions are a real possibility this summer.
It’s early in the summer period and the Ashburton scheme is already suffering from low-pressure issues, which Guthrie said he was “almost certain” was caused by people watering lawns and gardens in the peak evening period.
He warned unless consumption habits change, restrictions would need to be introduced.
“It’s a district-wide message. We are staring down the barrel of a fairly dry summer.”
The Mt Somers intake is already getting low and will need to be managed carefully over the summer, Guthrie said.
It’s a similar situation for the Methven supply, which also has a river intake.
Previously the trigger point for introducing restrictions was a rolling 7-day average of 15,000 cubic litres per day.
the latest seven-day average was over 20,000, Guthrie said.
The consent limit is 25,000 cubic litres per day.
Like Ashburton, the Selwyn District Council issued a notice encouraging people to use water wisely, following a significant increase in peak usage each day last week.
Council executive director infrastructure and property Tim Mason believed there had not been water restrictions in Selwyn before.
“If water use continues to increase beyond the levels it did during the last week, we could be reaching the conditions set down by the Council where restrictions are required on some schemes," Mason said.
Water use comparison:
The average daily water use per person in the Ashburton District is 838 litres per person – based on data from the 2023-24 year.
It’s a measure of water leaving the various water treatment plants, and includes rural schemes that also deliver piped stockwater, and any unaccounted-for water (such as illegal connections, unauthorised consumption like the filling of tankers, and losses through the network and on private property).
In the Selwyn District, the average litres per person was around 650L last week in the main urban areas (Darfield, Leeston, Lincoln, Prebbleton, Rolleston, Southbridge and West Melton), which triggered a water conservation message.
In comparison, Napier City Council hit the headlines last week when it claimed its water use was higher than most other place, with an average of between 500 and 570 litres of water per person per day.
It had a record day for water consumption in November of 637 litres per person and is on level 3 water restrictions (hand watering on alternate days).
Just 20km away, Hastings has an average of 634L per person in 2024 – with a peak of 973L per person on November 9, and is only on level 2 restrictions (alternate days).
Calls for arts levy in Kaikōura
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
There are fresh calls for Kaikōura ratepayers to directly fund arts and culture via a special levy.
The Kaikōura District Council has been looking into the option of introducing a targeted rate to fund the Kaikōura Museum and the Mayfair theatre.
… View moreBy David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
There are fresh calls for Kaikōura ratepayers to directly fund arts and culture via a special levy.
The Kaikōura District Council has been looking into the option of introducing a targeted rate to fund the Kaikōura Museum and the Mayfair theatre.
The idea was first floated by a public presentation to a council meeting in April.
For now the museum and the Mayfair compete for funding each year with other community groups for the council’s $100,000 discretionary fund.
Mayfair Arts and Culture Centre Te Whare Toi o Kaikōura board chairperson John Wyatt said arts and heritage has a valuable role in the community.
‘‘We think the ability of the arts to gather people together is important for health and wellbeing.
‘‘It is not about putting on events as such, it is about people being able to come here and just sit and look at an exhibition and the view.
‘‘It is a place where you feel safe and welcome and you are able to engage with the arts and be entertained.’’
Council staff have advised a targeted rate would need to be considered as part of a Long Term Plan process, with the next one being in 2027.
The Kaikōura Museum is run by the Kaikōura Historical Society and has been housed on the ground floor of the council building since November 2016.
The former Mayfair Theatre suffered extensive damage in the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in 2016.
After extensive fundraising, it reopened in 2020 as an arts and culture centre, hosting art exhibitions and live shows, as well as movie screenings.
Wyatt said the Mayfair team was keen to work with the council to come up with some artworks to place along the Kaikōura Link Pathway, along the waterfront.
‘‘We have always imagined we’d like some public art, maybe a couple of sculptures and seating across the road from here to complement the natural art.’’
While the council had indicated it has funding left over from the $2.1 million project, Wyatt said there were other funding sources the trust could tap into.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Reefton man puts hand up for vacant Regional Council seat
By local democracy reporter Lois Williams:
The Reefton man who was the third-highest polling candidate for a West Coast Regional Council seat in the last elections is putting his hand up for the seat left vacant by the untimely death of Westport’s Frank Dooley.
Dave Hawes who polled 794 … View moreBy local democracy reporter Lois Williams:
The Reefton man who was the third-highest polling candidate for a West Coast Regional Council seat in the last elections is putting his hand up for the seat left vacant by the untimely death of Westport’s Frank Dooley.
Dave Hawes who polled 794 votes in 2022, compared to Dooley’s 1769, was not far behind runner-up and sitting councillor Mark McIntyre, who took the second Buller seat on the council with 849 votes.
Under the Local Electoral Act, the Regional Council has only two options to deal with the vacancy for a second Buller representative.
It can leave Dooley’s seat vacant until the council elections next October or appoint someone in the interim.
A by-election is held only if there is a year or more to go until the next council elections.
The council resolved yesterday to appoint a qualified person in the new year, from a short-list to be drawn up by chairperson Peter Haddock, and councillors Mark MacIntyre and Brett Cummings.
Hawes said the most democratic option would be to appoint him – since Buller voters chose to put him next on the list two years ago.
“I don’t need the job but I’m willing to serve now, as I was then. I was a Buller District Councillor for 15 years, and I worked with people of all political stripes.”
Hawes’ ‘green’ credentials – 15 years leading DOC’s Reefton work crew - might work against him in a strongly pro-mining council, he said.
“But I’m a pragmatist - I come from old Westport and Reefton stock and my aim has always been to get the best outcome for the Buller.”
Regional councillors at Tuesday’s meeting this week’s noted major decisions were looming for Westport’s flood protection scheme, and suggested the appointee should be someone with a sound knowledge of the town, its land tenure and flood walls.
McIntyre said financial skills would be important, and the loss of Dooley had left a ‘ big hole’ for the council to fill in that regard.
Chief executive Darryl Lew said the ideal candidate would have all those attributes, but the council would in future have access to financial advice from the soon-to-be appointed independent chairperson of the Risk and Assurance committee.
Hawes said the primary objective should be fair and competent representation, and there was a risk in allowing a group that did not represent Buller to cherry-pick a councillor for the district.
Buller was bigger than just Westport, and there could be advantages in having a Buller rep who did not actually live in the town, he said.
“There’s going to be some tough calls to make with those floodwalls; some people will be left unprotected to protect others, and it might help to have a councillor with local knowledge but no skin in the game.”
The former BDC councillor is semi-retired and putting time into the Reefton Historical Society and local Powerhouse Trust – which aims to be generating hydro-power by Christmas.
Ashburton looks to support ageing population
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Facing a rapidly ageing population, the Ashburton District has received a funding boost to prepare an age friendly action plan.
Safer Mid Canterbury, a local community service provider, has a steering group leading the project that has been … View moreFrom local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Facing a rapidly ageing population, the Ashburton District has received a funding boost to prepare an age friendly action plan.
Safer Mid Canterbury, a local community service provider, has a steering group leading the project that has been awarded $15,000 from Office for Seniors Age friendly Fund.
The Government agency provides grants to projects that promote the inclusion of older people and help cities and communities prepare for their ageing populations.
Safer Mid Canterbury steering group chairperson, deputy mayor Liz McMillan (pictured) said the grant will be used for a needs assessment as the first step in developing an age friendly strategy.
“A steering group will be set up next year and there will be some research into what the need is in the district.”
The research will include speaking with older people in the Ashburton District and to the agencies which work with them, as well as analysing Census and other relevant data.
Findings and data collected in the needs assessment research will be developed into an Age Friendly Strategy and Action Plan for Ashburton District.
The number of over 65s rose by 14% since 2018, according to the Census data.
Residents aged over 65 make up a fifth of the district’s population and the number is predicted to grow, McMillan said.
“Older Ashburton residents contribute hugely to the wellbeing of our community through continuing to work, volunteering, caring for grandchildren, being involved in community activities as well as being good neighbours and active members of society.
“We look forward to highlighting and celebrating the contributions of older people to our district and further developing and improving areas which will make the lives of our district’s older residents better.”
Office for Seniors age friendly programme lead Karen Piercy said she was proud of Ashburton for taking their first steps in developing an age friendly strategy.
“By identifying what’s important for older people in their community, we can help make Ashburton an amazing place to age well.”
Hanmer flyride gets green light
By David Hill, Local Democracy
A proposed Hanmer Springs flyride has been given the go ahead by the Environment Court.
But there are still a few bumps in the road.
The Environment Court issued an interim decision on Friday to reject an appeal by The Friends of Conical Hill Incorporated, … View moreBy David Hill, Local Democracy
A proposed Hanmer Springs flyride has been given the go ahead by the Environment Court.
But there are still a few bumps in the road.
The Environment Court issued an interim decision on Friday to reject an appeal by The Friends of Conical Hill Incorporated, three years after a Hurunui District Council appointed commissioner granted a resource consent.
The Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa had applied to install and operate a gravity-based recreation activity at Conical Hill Reserve.
Hurunui District Council chief executive Hamish Dobbie said the council is relieved to finally get a decision.
‘‘It is good news. It has taken a long time to get here, but at least we’ve got a decision.
‘‘We will need to work through the viability of the project and then the council can consider what it does next.’’
Dobbie said staff would prepare a report to present to the council early in the new year.
The project received $2 million from the Government's ‘‘Shovel Ready’’ fund in 2020.
When first proposed, the attraction was expected to create 23 jobs and inject $4m into the local economy in its first five years of operation.
Submitters opposed to the flyride said it would have a visual impact on the recreation character, biodiversity and horse trails in the area.
Concerns were also raised about parking, traffic congestion, noise, along with the risk of fire, and devaluation of properties.
In her decision, Judge Lauren Semple said she was satisfied the effects of the proposal could be managed under the Hurunui District Plan and the National Policy Statement on Indigenous Biodiversity.
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