Managing The Future Water Supply

The Council is exploring the idea of introducing water meters for households in Picton, Havelock and Renwick.

This is first and foremost an environmental measure; experience in other places has shown that, once people can see how much water they’re using, they use much less.

Communities will face big costs if additional water supplies in these areas have to be found.
Council is therefore keen to look at measures that can be taken in the short term to control water waste.

It’s preparing some costings for water meters – to compare this move with the economics of other possible measures like the re-use of rainwater or greywater (recycled household water) and for bringing old dams back into service or finding new water supplies.

Households in the Awatere and Wairau Valley already have water meters. There’s been a significant reduction in water use there since the meters were introduced.

The Council won’t be making any immediate decisions on this matter. More details will be coming out over the weeks ahead and public meetings and workshops will be held over the next six months so all questions can be answered.

Council’s Long Term Plan does include budgets for Picton and Havelock water metering in 2013/14 but it has not been budgeted for Renwick. Public response to the consultation will be considered before any final commitments are made.

It needs to be clearly understood that central government legislation does not allow any Council to privatise the water supply.

Further information: Resource Management Advisor Jon Cunliffe, Ph: 03 520 7400 or jon.cunliffe@marlborough.govt.nz