Switch to septic tanks resisted

A proposal to put a septic tank on each Mangaweka property has been rejected by residents.

About 60 people have signed a petition against a proposal to scrap the Rangitikei town's wastewater system in favour of individual tanks. The town has 63 connections to the reticulated system.

Mangaweka woman and former Rangitikei mayoral candidate Maree Brannigan presented a submission on behalf of the community at the council long-term plan hearing on Thursday.

Questioning the proposal, she said: "There appears to have been a lack of explanation. My problem comes around what it will do to our community."

The proposal would not go ahead until 2024 and Ms Brannigan said there was no clarity around cost and what regulations would be in force by then. She also believed a septic tank system would struggle to meet Horizons Regional Council regulations.

"This is both remiss and negligent of council to put forward an option into the 10-year plan without, at very least, a feasibility study to assure residents it is possible, let alone preferable."

It would be the loss of one of the few council services specifically for Mangaweka people.

The draft long-term plan listed the proposal as the council's preferred option.

"It's more than a flagging ... it's actually a plan," Ms Brannigan said.

Councillor Lynne Sheridan said the proposal "seems to have gone down like a bad pill".

Ms Brannigan said many in the community would be interested in being part of a residents' working group to discuss the future of the town's wastewater.

"Mangaweka is a very active, dynamic community and when we need to come together we are quite good at that stuff."