Chlorination of water is hard to swallow for many in Hawke's Bay. Made with funding from NZ On Air.
Napier's acting mayor says chlorination of the city's water remains the only viable option to keep people safe.
Faye White said the decision for permanent chlorination in the city, before widespread dirty water issues prompted the council to look at potential alternatives, was made because the main priority was toprevent contamination of the water making people sick.
"I maintain that this is still the right decision, and this is backed up by a recent meeting we had with the Ministry of Health, where it became evident that chlorinating municipal water networks is going to become mandatory nationwide," White said in a Talking Point to Hawke's Bay Today.
"People died as a result of the Havelock North water contamination.
Acting Mayor Faye White says permanent chlorination remains the right decision. Photo / File
"But they have a long way to go and a lot of money to spend."
She said council was looking at options to remove chlorine from the water, as was decided in an annual plan meeting on Friday, however there was a clear indication chlorination will be mandated in the future.
Annette Brosnan says there has been independent report into de-chlorinating Napier's water supply. Photo / Warren Buckland
Not every councillor agrees with White.
Councillor Annette Brosnan said it was time to push back on mandated, permanent chlorination.
"We owe it to fully investigate how we could meet the new standards and how much it will cost.
"Napier deserves to understand what its options are and get a say."
She said at this point in time there has been no independent report on what the options for a non-chlorinated supply is, or the cost.
"There's no point in council saying chlorination will be permanent before we understand what our options are."
Guardians of the Aquifer spokeswoman Pauline Doyle said there had been no public consultation over whether permanent chlorination was needed.
Guardians of the Aquifers spokesperson Pauline Doyle said water should be funded through a user pays system. Photo / File
"Instead of buying water treatment plants which we don't need, NCC could be accelerating work which will help us meet any new standards from the government - and help the council make a strong case against mandatory chlorination of Napier's water longer term."
She said more and more Napier residents seemed to understand the need to spend more money on the water supply, and rather than being funded through a rates increase, this could be done through a user-pays system.
"That would be a strong incentive to conserve this precious resource."
At Friday's meeting, councillors approved the city's annual plan, including making water the number one priority of council and exploring options to remove chlorine from the water.
The annual plan passed 10 to two, with Richard McGrath and Api Tapine voting against the plan, due largely to the 6.4 per cent average rates increase.
McGrath said he could not understand why replacing a 20-year-old pool had been given a greater priority by council than replacing 50-year-old pipes.
"I do not see how water can be our number one priority while we are spending more on a swimming pool than water."
Several other councillors also raised concerns about the rates increase, including Kirsten Wise and Maxine Boag.
Councillor Graeme Taylor said it was important to remember the vote was specifically regarding the council's 2019/2020 plan.
"Some of the things that are being discussed here today about future, unchlorinated water will not be achieved in the next 12-month period. Public health is at risk and while public health is at risk we have no choice."
In total, $7.8 million worth of water projects have been brought forward in the 2019/2020 annual plan.
