Tararua mayoral candidates are both for and against water meter installation.
Correction: This story, published online on October 1, stated incorrectly that 200 water meters would be installed in Dannevirke in December and January. This is being reassessed and may be put on hold until Tararua’s new Water Services Organisation takes over operational control of water in the district.
Tararua mayoral candidates are split over a decision to eventually install water meters at every residential and commercial property connected to the council water supply.
Water meters are being introduced to support fairer, more transparent charging and help identify and reduce water loss in the network to ensure a more sustainable and resilient water supply for the Tararua district.
While Tararua Mayor Tracey Collis and mayoral hopefuls Scott Gilmore and Steve Wallace agreed meters were a benefit to the community, mayoral rivals Michael Spence and Evan Nattrass disagreed with the installation.
“No, I’m not in favour of water meters nor the $100,000 plus cost for this experiment alone. Especially before the election results are known,” Spence said.
The project is included in the current Long-Term Plan (2024–2034), with an estimated total cost of about $4.9 million.
It will be funded through a loan, with repayments covered by ratepayers. The cost will be spread over 20 years, and there will not be an individual charge for the water meter installation.
Nattrass said water meters are the next step towards privatisation.
“Water meters are not a good thing. Despite being told that they encourage people to be conscious of their water use, their sole purpose is to measure consumption so that people can be billed for it.”
The Tararua District Council estimates that the full rollout of the water meter installation will take between four and five years to complete. This will include the period of testing and data collection.
Collis said allowing consumers to see and understand their water usage would help address cost-of-living pressures.
“Smart water meters are a demand management tool that enables consumers to manage their usage and cost by providing real-time consumption information.”
Gilmore believed water meters offered a fairer, more sustainable way to manage the district’s vital water resources, reducing strain and cost for treatment, pumping, and infrastructure.
“Currently, council water users pay a flat rate, whether a single pensioner or a large household with a pool – an inherently unfair system.”
Wallace claimed meters would benefit the community through fairness, better planning, leak identification, and water conservation.
“The more efficient our water system is, the less money ratepayers will have to stump up for costly upgrades.”
The council had planned to consult with the community in September on the options for how water charging could work once meters are fully in place, but it was decided that more water usage data was needed to ensure the options presented about charging are accurate and fair for all ratepayers.
Chief executive Malcolm Alexander said the Water Services Organisation (WSO), the council-controlled organisation for water, is due to take operational control of Tararua’s Three Water assets on July 1, 2027.
As a result, the council will reassess a proposal to install 200 water meters in Dannevirke over summer, and may put it on hold until the WSO takes control.
“In the transitional period which now has commenced, it is prudent to ensure all proposed activity is consistent with the establishment process for the new entity,” he said.
Alexander said smart water meters had many benefits. Primarily, they were a demand-side management tool that empowered consumers to manage their consumption and cost, he said.
“Where consumers have been provided with real-time information on consumption, it has generally resulted in a drop in consumption.”
He said there were also benefits for day-to-day management of the network.
“It offers the potential to delay network upgrades until there is a real need. This reduces costs to the community.”
He said the Local Water Done Well Three Waters reforms are likely to see the rollout of smart meters across the country over time.
A Tararua council spokesperson said water meter charging will not begin until charging options have been consulted on and all meters across the district are installed.
“You will not be paying twice. When water charging begins, the new water meter charges will appear as separate line items on bills, with corresponding reductions in targeted rates.”
The exact charging structure will be determined after consultation with the community, which will now be at a later date still to be confirmed.
Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings newsroom. She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and loves sharing stories about farming and rural communities.