Greytown people are either in the happy situation where money is no object or they just can't get the message when it comes to saving water.
The town's water usage is way out of whack with other towns in South Wairarapa and with metered water now a reality the financial cost
of wasting it will soon hit home.
Latest figures show that Greytown soaked up 73,353 cubic metres in February more than 12,000cu m more than Martinborough, and 20,000cu m more than Featherston.
Over the last year Greytown has consistently used far more reticulated water each month than either of the other two towns and in winter uses double the amount used in Martinborough despite having only fractionally more connections to the water mains.
South Wairarapa district councillors are flummoxed by the town's seeming disregard for saving water.
Councillor Max Stevens said yesterday Greytown's use was much higher, even though some Martinborough vineyards are still tapping in to the town system.
Works and services manager Ravi Mangar said his staff had been unable to unearth reasons why Greytown continues to use so much water.
"The only likely thing is that Greytown has more farms connected to the town water supply, using water for troughs and such like."
The day of reckoning may soon arrive with the programme to meter and charge for water from the town supply being completed by the end of the 2009-2010 financial year.
Metering is already in place for many connections but Mr Mangar has indicated that in time the council may have to review the amount of water able to be used before charges kick in.
As of now residents are allowed to use 450cu m before charges apply.
Continued disregard for water use may mean this free water allowance is cut back.
Complicating matters in Greytown is that around 30 per cent of tobies have proved difficult to locate.
He said a decision on whether to continue to hunt for some of them, or simply to install new connections to the properties affected may soon need to be made.
