A call this week by Canterbury mayors for the Government to pause its three waters reforms is likely to be echoed by other South Island councils, Waimate Mayor Craig Rowley says.
He says a recent meeting organised by council to inform ratepayers of the reforms, attracted 350 people, materialising simmering public concern about the proposal to transfer delivery of three waters services from local authorities to four public entities across New Zealand.
The proposed policy suffered a setback on Monday when the Canterbury Mayoral forum, representing councils from Waitaki to Hurunui, asked the Government to pause the reforms to allow consultation and to take account of other changes.
That included allowing the new water service regulator, Taumata Arowai, to be established, and clarity provided about the standards and approach required from the proposed Economic Regulator.
Despite the Department of Internal Affairs advising against councils holding public consultation until definitive information is available, Rowley says it was decided their 8500 people needed to be informed of what council knew.
A typical consultation meeting would attract 20-30 people, but the turnout shows the Three Waters proposal is topical.
“It tells me exactly what I knew, that this is a really topical subject and people are really concerned about the proposal,” he said.
The meeting revealed concern that the Water Services Bill requires schemes supplying two or more users to meet water quality standards, while the Three Waters proposal could mean a loss of control, uncertain service and cost.
The National Party has launched a petition to support changes it proposes to the Water Services Bill to exempt suppliers of schemes servicing 30 or less end point users.
National’s rural communities spokesperson Barbara Kuriger says the current policy would require the new water authority to find and register around 70,000 farm supply arrangements, each of which will need to write safety and risk management plans.
While acknowledging everyone should have access to clean drinking water, Kuriger says dairy companies check the quality of water on supplier’s farms but that aside, she says the compliance and cost on operators of small schemes is excessive.
“National will oppose the Water Services Bill at second reading. We cannot support a Bill that creates yet another unnecessary hoop for farmers to jump through,” Kuriger said.
