Wainui 'own worst enemy' in the reticulation debate
Tuesday, 6 May, 2008
By Marianne Gillingham

There was little sympathy shown for Wainui ratepayers at a community consultation meeting in the city last night.

The general feeling seemed to be that the main water/sewerage scheme issue was cost, which Wainui residents had brought largely on to themselves by "dithering".

Costs had more than trebled since 1998, when reticulation was first seriously looked at for Wainui and Okitu.

Mayor Meng Foon said reticulation at Wainui was inevitable within the next 100 years. Homes at Wainui were no longer baches -- they were large, quality homes with modern conveniences.

Some areas smelled because detergents and disinfectants used in homes killed bacteria needed to break down septage.

The ground could not always deal with the waste because the bugs were dead.

His own preference was to run the pipes past people's gates. This would cost only about $8000, he said.

People could then hook up to it as their septic tanks failed and there would be no septic tank permits for any new houses.

Total cost was not much more than a new rainwater and septic tank system, he said.

The council had two options for those who could not afford it.

If they were over 65, the ratepayer would be eligible for the rates postponement scheme. This would enable them to "park" the rates against their title for repayment, with bank interest rates, upon their death.

Or they could "park" the rates within the capital of their property, for payment with interest when the property was sold.

They could also apply under the rating hardship policy for the council to postpone their rates.

If they wished, they could also pay upfront.

Asked to explain the grinder pump option, engineering department manager Peter Higgs said these pumps were low- maintenance. They sat in a large holding tank and ground up the effluent, doing away with the need for graduated reticulation and large pump stations.

The council had opted for them because they were a cheaper option.

Asked whether ratepayer submissions would affect the Wainui outcome, Mr Foon said the council would rely on the facts in staff reports, although it would listen to submissions.

But there would be no referendum -- the Local Government Act made no provision for this.

Mr Foon said there had been a petition from residents in 1998, during a drought, seeking water reticulation, and another one from Makorori residents last year.

Now they knew the costs and there was a downturn in the economy, they were saying ''don't do it''.

"They are their own worst enemies," he said.

Brian Wilson said the latest figures were the first time residents had been given robust figures.

Earlier figures on which they had based their opinions were not robust.

In response to a question from Wainui resident Murray Robertson, Mr Higgs said Wainui was not eligible for a government subsidy because it did not score anywhere near high enough on the Government's deprivation scale.

On a scale of 1-10, where 10 represented the worst socio-economic status, Wainui was somewhere around three or four. Subsidies ranged from 100 percent for the most deprived communities, tapering away to nothing for those scoring six or less.

In any case, there was no money left in this fund.

Mr Robertson said the community was clearly saying no to the project, and if the council went ahead it ran the risk of another Mander Road situation.

To residents it was also a matter of trust and reliability.

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