City Vision Announces its Policy on Water, Wastewater and Stormwater

In the 21st century, Aucklanders should be able to take it for granted that we have right of access to a safe, secure supply of high quality, affordable water for drinking and sanitation. These are not commercial commodities, they are basic human rights.

City Vision will set the price for water at the minimum level necessary to fund the costs of providing water supply and wastewater disposal in a financially and environmentally sustainable way but not to subsidise the costs of other Council activities. We will not allow the City Council to use Metrowater as a ‘cash cow’.

City Vision/Labour Councillors have voted for a programme of enhanced environmental improvements involving stormwater separation and substantially reduced pollution of our streams and harbours. We will continue to support this very necessary programme. Now that the full cost implications of this programme have become clear, we recognise that it is not financially sustainable or fair for households to be asked to pay for this programme through increased water charges. We continue to endorse the programme of improvements and any financial shortfall will be made up by polluter- pays mechanisms and/or through the general rate.

We are aware that there is still an agenda to privatise these services and we are totally opposed to that. A Council with a City Vision/Labour majority will ensure that Auckland’s water supply and its operation cannot be franchised or privatised.

The first opportunity to make major changes to the water pricing policy is in the Council’s Annual Plan Direction Setting meeting immediately after the elections in November. To prepare for that, City Vision will carry out a comprehensive review of Metrowater’s performance.

This review will cover vital social and environmental standards together with the financial imperatives. We shall consider options such as volumetric, bulk and progressive pricing systems, including a basic amount charged at a lower level. We will establish whether the current structure, mode of operation and charging is appropriate to satisfy the needs of water users and is consistent with our values and those of our community.

For our full policy, see www.cityvision.org.nz

ENDS

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