Cameras roll to tell tale of water woes

Ruapehu district mayor Don Cameron talks to director Julian Arahanga (right) in Raetihi. PHOTO/LIN FERGUSON

Two former Raetihi boys were back in town filming a documentary - Mending the Makotuku - to be screened on Maori Television next year

Last year's diesel spill on Mt Ruapehu, which contaminated the water in Raetihi, galvanised Awa Productions director Julian Arahanga and producer Toby Mills into action.

"We saw it all over the news and thought that's our home town what the hell is going on and how did it happen?" Arahanga said.

Being a son of the mountain, Raetihi is precious to him and always will be, he said.

They set up a public meeting in the town a week ago and asked local people along to the Cosmopolitan Club to talk about the project and share their experiences on the disaster.

One Raetihi resident, John Chapman, a former British photo-journalist turned small farmer said he was staggered he had arrived in a small town and within days there was a pollution problem.

In September 2013 he'd moved to Raetihi and rented a small house in Seddon St. He has since built a sustainable, eco-friendly house on his 6.5ha of land on Raetihi/Ohakune Rd.

"I've always loved small rural towns. Raetihi is small and our piece of land is beautiful,"Mr Chapman said.

But just days after he moved into the rented house in Raetihi he noticed a strong "petro-chemical smell" coming from the tap when he turned on the water. When he tried to tell the Ruapehu District Council, he said he was "fobbed off" and told it was probably algae.

The reality was about 19,000 litres of diesel spilled from a tank, behind the Turoa ski lodge, on September 27 and leached into the Makotuku Stream, contaminating Raetihi's water supply.

Arahanga said he believed by using the medium of film it would show the spirit of a small community who banded together through the crisis.

These are people who rarely complain but they should have a voice and an involvement in council processes, he said.

"This is where we decided to really explore the issues."

They are issues that confront many communities over natural resources, he said.

But the people of Raetihi were reluctant when it came to stepping forward and confronting council on official business, the filmmaker added.

"They need to have a say ... this is their town and they must speak up about everything," Arahanga said.

Among the locals interviewed were Ruapehu District Mayor Don Cameron, Raetihi School PRincipal Nuku Wallace, Ruapehu District Council CEO Peter Til and resident John Chapman.

"It has been an interesting project so far and I think we'll have a really worthwhile film to show."