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Council Eases Transition to PWC For West

The Rodney District Council has this week voted to introduce a multi-million financial package to ease the transition to a new wastewater network within the district’s western ward.

The package will include substantial discounts on installation of necessary infrastructure on properties, reduction on wastewater charges, and loans to households. Just under 1000 households in the Kumeu, Huapai, Riverhead catchment are expected to be eligible for the package.

Property owners who paid into a targeted rate for wastewater infrastructure development 1991 or 1992 will also have the amount paid taken off installation and connection costs.

Mayor Penny Webster says the Council signalled in its 2009 Long Term Council Community Plan that it was intending to introduce a pressure wastewater collection (PWC) system to the area from early 2011.

Only about 166 households in the Kumeu and Huapai townships, and none at all in Riverhead, are currently connected to a wastewater network.

The installation of a new network will answer long-standing community requests and stimulate growth in the towns says Mrs Webster. She says the council is looking for a 50% or more connection by local property owners to make the new network sustainable.

However, connection comes at a cost. A major component of which is the purchase and installation of an on-site grinder pump for each connected property. This pump, currently estimated to cost $9000 including installation, would be borne by the householder or business.

The council will provide the financial package to ease the outlay, and provide other inducements such as a 25% discount on  wastewater rates  to cover the cost of maintenance of the grinder pump. 

The total cost of the package is estimated to be $2 million recoverable over time. But a council spokesman says that the actual figure would be dependent on community uptake of the scheme.

ENDS.

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