Tararua residents asked for feedback, ideas in super consultation expos

Council corporate manager Raj Suppiah and Ormondville resident David Hosegood discussed water storage tanks on properties at the super consultation expo at Norsewood. Photo / Leanne Warr

What will the Tararua district look like by the year 2050?

That was just one of the questions posed in the super consultation first round currently being held in the district by the local council.

Expos have been held in Woodville, Norsewood and Pongaroa.

There will be expos on Monday in Pahiatua and Eketahuna and in Dannevirke on February 24.

Members of the public were invited to give their feedback or submit ideas on the district strategy, which will then be used to develop a strategy for the next 30 years.

This was different from a long-term plan, which was a plan for the next 10 years.

A council spokesman said this was a chance for people to get really creative in submitting their ideas.

That could involve anything including strategies around water infrastructure or play and recreation, or even ideas on how to solve the current housing issue.

At the Norsewood expo, mayor Tracey Collis said the people in the community were excited to be involved.

"Norsewood is a very engaged community."

Much of the interest was centred on the idea of water tanks.

Collis said this had come about after residents at Ormondville had lost water.

The residents had turned to Wairarapa MP Kieran McAnulty to help them find an alternate water source.

She said she had suggested one option of buying large water storage tanks to use for drinking water storage or and/or rain catchment systems.

She believed it was an idea the district could explore and it was part of the consultation round.

One Ormondville resident, David Hosegood, had approached her after the meeting and said he was keen to work together with her on the idea.

The council was asking residents if water storage tanks was something they wanted.

They would also be considering how residents could purchase the tanks via the council without it having too much impact on their rates.

Tanks could range from 500 litres, costing an average of $400, to 30,000 litres, costing an average of $4000.

Collis said if people decided to get the water tanks, it could also open up opportunities for local tradesmen.

The Water Supply Bylaw was also a topic being presented at the expos.

Peter Wimsett, manager of strategy and district development, said the bylaw was in the pre-consultation stage.

He said it was about getting the document right.

"We want to make sure people are doing what they should."

Part of the bylaw was defining household use as opposed to commercial.

Towns in the district were at peak populations and it was a question of how big people wanted the district to be and how to manage the growth.

• People unable to attend the expos can give their feedback online at https://tararuadc.mysocialpinpoint.com.au/ or can pick up a hard copy from the customer service centres.