Mayoral candidate Jackie Elliott says Kāpiti Council’s water meter regime went hand in hand with the Waikanae River Recharge Scheme,which is looking increasingly unlikely to proceed.
“As a member of the audience when BECA presented their consultation proposal to council, I know that with the previously unknown risk of saline intrusion to the aquifer water ways, the scheme now comprises many extra untested processes that are very invasive to the living environment of this river,” says Ms Elliott.
“The cost of maintaining the aquifer system was described as unknown and indefinite, but Council had bargained for that in the CRAG report which states over and over again that the predicted annual cost increases for household water use would be determined by how much it cost Council to bring the reticulated water to homes.
“I do not believe it is sensible management or fair to residents to bring in ‘unknown and indefinite costs’ to burden the ratepayers under water meter charging,” says Ms Elliott.
“The project is an example of an expensive mistake where a commonsense approach could have prevailed. It is now time for commonsense.”
“The Regional Council have very wisely recommended resource consent for the river recharge scheme not be given until after a further three years monitoring of the natural river state. It is my hope that by the time the three years is up, the dam will be providing enough water storage to make the River Recharge scheme un-necessary,” says Ms Elliott.
