The new water treatment plant in Whau Valley. Councils belonging to each new entity will collectively own the assets, says Whangārei MP. Photo / NZME
The new water treatment plant in Whau Valley. Councils belonging to each new entity will collectively own the assets, says Whangārei MP. Photo / NZME
FROM PARLIAMENT
OPINION
Kiwis expect clean water when we turn on the tap, but about 38,000 of us get sick annually due to failing drinking water services. We expect our rivers and beaches to be safe for swimming, but increasingly this isn't the case.
For over 20 years, councils and governments havebeen discussing New Zealand's water woes. For all that time, they have known that nationally, we are sitting on an infrastructure time bomb, with pipes, pumps and ponds wearing out and the challenges of population growth, housing construction and climate change encroaching. Yet no one has been able to agree on a plan.
About $185 billion is needed to fix, upgrade and maintain New Zealand's critical water infrastructure over the next 30 years.
Currently, 43 of the 67 councils lack the revenue to cover water services operating costs, let alone once infrastructure starts failing.
While Whangārei District Council has, thankfully, invested much more than most, our neighbours are not so fortunate. To say this isn't Whangārei's problem is a dereliction of duty to our neighbours – and it also underestimates the issues we, too, face in the years ahead.
Peer-reviewed modelling predicts that, without reform, by 2051 the average annual cost per Whangārei household for drinking water, storm and wastewater services will increase to $4060.
It's not just about protecting drinking water. Quality storm and wastewater management are also vital. No one wants a future for our kids where beaches and rivers aren't safe for swimming due to sewage discharge.
Northland-wide, councils operate 30 wastewater treatment plants. Thirteen discharge into freshwater, eight into the ocean and nine onto land. By 2019, five were already operating on expired consents and another 16 will expire by 2029. Locally, 10 of Whangārei District Council's wastewater treatment consents expire in the next decade.
Whangārei will not lose out. Council will receive $38 million in "better off" funding and about a $90m "no worse off" payment, acknowledging our unique low-debt position. Photo / NZME
New consents will require compliance with modern environmental standards, a costly exercise.
Further, around half of Northlanders live rurally, and it's our rural communities who face some of the biggest challenges with all nine Far North drinking water supplies failing Health Act standards in recent years.
As a responsible government, we need to act. We plan to bring water services together under four large bodies with the scale to raise the cash and the expertise to fix the problems that, individually, councils lack without massive rates rises.
Whangārei will not lose out. Our council not only receives $38 million in "better off" funding, but about a $90 million "no worse off" payment, acknowledging our unique low-debt position.
Whangārei's wastewater treatment plant. Under the Three Waters reform, ratepayer cost projections reduce from $4060 to about $800. Photo / NZME
Further, under the Three Waters reform, ratepayer cost projections reduce from $4060 to about $800.
Contrary to the hype, our water assets will remain ours. Councils belonging to each new entity will collectively own the assets. Further, the new system makes it harder, not easier, to privatise our assets. Nor is there any threat to the jobs of council employees working primarily on water services. In fact, upgrading infrastructure will create more local jobs in construction.
It's understandable that the council wants to protect its role in water services but, in my book, it's the long-term interests of ratepayers that really deserve protection.
• Emily Henderson is the electorate MP for Whangārei. She can be contacted at Emily.HendersonMP@parliament.govt.nz .
