What we're unsure of
Waitoa Water Supply
Due to central government changes, Fonterra have decided that they cannot continue to be the water supplier for the village of Waitoa. Taumata Arowai (the new water regulator) requires Council to help come up with a solution, so we have been working alongside Fonterra and the residents of Waitoa for the last few years to investigate potential options for around 120-150 residential properties in this settlement.
At the time of writing the Long Term Plan we are still working on the options and the financial impacts. Once we have this information the residents of Waitoa will have the opportunity to decide whether they wish to be connected to a Council supply. If the community does decide to connect to a Council supply, the town is likely to be connected to the Te Aroha Water Supply via a trunk main that supplies a nearby industry. There would be no need for any additional treatment facilities, and Council already provides water to a number of similar small rural settlements.
Because we are unsure at this stage whether or not Council will need to invest in this water supply, we have not included any funding in the budget for the Waitoa water supply. If the residents do choose to connect to a Council supply, we will need to consult with affected people.