Waipa takes step towards water study

1 July 2014

Waipa District Council has agreed to consider a major study into how the district's water infrastructure might best be managed in the future.

Any study will examine a range of options including establishing a jointly-owned Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) with Hamilton City and Waikato District Councils. While Hamilton city has already agreed to co-fund the study, Waikato District Council has yet to formally consider the issue.

Waipa Mayor Jim Mylchreest said a jointly-owned CCO was just one option on the table. Others included boosting the existing shared service arrangement between the three councils, Waipa District Council continuing to manage water itself and council establishing its own ratepayer-funded water management organisation.

Water is a very significant issue for the district and how it's managed in the future will create some spirited debate, including around the council table. But we need to make sure that those debates are informed and are based on fact, Mr Mylchreest said.

Today's decision is not a decision to head towards a CCO. This is a fact-finding mission about a range of options and a CCO is just one of them. I think we have an obligation to our community to make sure we have all the information in front of us before we make any major decisions and that's what this study will provide.

Today's meeting agreed that Mr Mychreest and councillor Clare St Pierre would help determine the scope of any study. The report detailing the proposed scope would be reported back to full council for full consideration later this year.

Councillor Vern Wilson voted against all recommendations, including a recommendation to receive the report.

Ends

All media enquiries, contact Jeanette Tyrrell (on behalf of council) 027 507 7599