Billions needed to restore health of Auckland's waterways

By WAYNE THOMPSON

Concrete yards, roads and motorists are tax targets in a new report on how the Auckland region can afford to clean up its stormwater run off.

The report is a preliminary business plan to help the region's councils meet citizens' expectations of healthier beaches and waterways for swimming and shellfish gathering.

Spending $11 billion over 20 years will raise quality standards, says the report by Infrastructure Auckland and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

But that figure is six times the present stormwater budget of the seven councils and too much to be supported from general rates alone.

The report urges making the polluter pay by bringing in targeted charges or rates and trying to change polluters' ways.

Transport, building materials and activities and industry are the largest contributors to environmental pollution, says the report, and they should bear a greater share of the extra costs of fighting pollution.

This could be by a separate charge on impervious surfaces, for example concrete, and road user contributions.

Covering a section with roof and concrete would result in a home owner paying more than a neighbour whose home is smaller and outside has a lawn or porous blocks.

Householders and industry are not the only ones whose hard surfaces are in the sights of the stormwater sheriffs.

The report suggests a move to tap road user charges to cover the cost of treating runoff from roads, which are big contributors to the grease, oil, diesel and heavy metals washed into waterways.

In some Auckland estuaries, contaminants have exceeded internationally recognised limits for safety of aquatic life.

The seven Greater Auckland councils are considering the report, which is a parting gift from Infrastructure Auckland.

The councils' combined stormwater works programme is about $1.9 billion spread over 20 years.

In addition to general rates and rates-funded loans, the councils have looked to Infrastructure Auckland, which put aside $150 million for stormwater improvements.

The Government's December transport package signalled that Infrastructure Auckland would cease to exist on July 1 and its role would be transferred to the Auckland Regional Council.

The $110 million left in Infrastructure's stormwater kitty will come under ARC control and the report looks at how this amount can be best applied to help the councils.

Fighting pollution

* Water quality will continue to deteriorate in Auckland's harbours and streams if councils don't spend more on improving drains.

* Councils cannot afford to carry out effective stormwater works.

* More than double the present spending of $2 billion over 20 years is needed to clean up just nine high-priority waterways.