Council agrees to $12m water bill, will consult

Hastings District Council chief executive Ross McLeod said the gastro crisis meant work on the water supply had to be brought forward, and more money spent.

The Hastings District Council has agreed in principle to spend up to $12.2 million to upgrade and treat the Hastings water supply network this coming year.

At a meeting yesterday councillors agreed to include the figure in the 2017/18 draft annual plan, which will be consulted on next month, and was subject to further investigation and analysis work.

The budget, which was $10m more than flagged in the 2015/2025 Long Term Plan, was approved on the basis that no capital expenditure was committed until a revised strategy and work programme had been reported to the council.

Chief executive Ross McLeod said although money had been set aside in the Long Term Plan, the effect of the Havelock North water contamination event and GNS Science age-testing results showing higher levels of younger water in the network than seen in previous monitoring, meant some of the work had to be brought forward, and more money spent.

The extra $10m would pay for installing UV treatment at Eastbourne, where there were about five bores, completing an upgrade to the pipe network for the Havelock North supply and adding a new UV treatment plant at the Wilson Rd and Frimley bores.

There were also extra operating costs for increased water testing, additional electricity to pump water further and ongoing chlorination.

Some councillors queried whether the money should be spent on existing bores, when the future might see the need to drill completely new bore sites.

"Even if it was more expensive shouldn't we also investigate pulling out of all the current bores and putting them somewhere else such as near Miracle Water?' asked councillor Bayden Barber.

Mayor Lawrence Yule said this was also being considered.

Councillor Simon Nixon queried whether it was wise to be going ahead with approving the funding when the results of the Havelock North Water Inquiry were not yet known.

Mr McLeod said the funding was a signal in the annual plan that more work was needed than had previously been budgeted for.

"We need to make provision in the annual plan, and consult with the community, and we also need to do further detailed work as well as hear what the inquiry has to say."

In terms of consultation, it was agreed that the matter was of high community interest and that it should form a separate consultation document in the draft annual plan.

The plan was to hold a number of community meetings as part of that consultation, a major factor of which was also to debate whether or not to continue with chlorination.