Camp operators unsure of sewerage scheme

The fed-up operators of Riversdale Holiday Park are unsure about buying into the resort's sewerage upgrade after a bid to halve their share failed.
The park's management committee commissioned a report that found the facility should only be paying around $390,000 toward the scheme and not the $825,700 as set down in Masterton District Council's cost allocation model, chairman Steve Clareburt said.
"We had consultants look at it and they came up with a fair and equitable number based on our occupation and water usage."
He said the committee shared what it considered an "accurate template" with council officers and was "stunned" to learn the council had since adopted its original allocation with no changes.
"They dismissed it and clearly it shows it was all a waste of time. "It's been a frustration for the whole community how badly this whole thing has been handled."
The system, now being designed by Duffill Watts Group planners, is set to be up and running by November 2010.
The Duffill Watts Group was commissioned after the council opted last year to build a pond-based sewerage treatment and disposal scheme on land owned by the Tatham family to the south-west of the settlement.
Mr Clareburt said the park would happily hook into the scheme if it didn't mean paying nearly 50 per cent of the site's net equity.
"We have our own Triple-A rated sewerage system in our property and there is no reason we can't keep using that. The fact is, they're asking us to pay $825,000 plus $30,000 a year in rates and that's just far too expensive for the average Kiwi punter in our motor camp."
Riversdale ratepayer Bill Roberts said the community did not want to see the park pull out of the scheme as that would shift extra costs on to the 17,200 residents and bach owners were already paying.
"If they decide all of a sudden that they're not going to join it, that whips out $825,000 and will make a huge difference to us all. It would be very embarrassing too."
However, if the park did abandon the scheme, he hoped the council might be forced to look at his and fellow resident Bill Hedley's sewerage proposal, which he believed was cheaper, more efficient and friendlier on the environment.
"Our option was out-voted and the majority of people opted for the council's preferred option. However, if you take the camp people out of the equation, we would have that majority. We haven't gone away and hidden yet."
Riversdale Beach sewerage steering group chairman Roddy McKenzie accepted the process had been "slow-go" and he acknowledged there had been the "odd hiccup on who should pay for what. The officers have worked hard to make it as fair as possible but it's still hard to swallow for the residents when they're having to pay a few thousand dollars.
"It's taken some long, hard work but we are now pleased to be taking the next step. The community wants to see something happen and is now saying let's get on with it and let's get it complete. There's still some ironing out to be done but in the end it's going to be a great benefit to the area."