$4.6 Million Savings on Okere Falls Sewerage Scheme Good News for Ratepayers
 
ROTORUA 08.05.12:  Ratepayers connected to Rotorua District Council’s (RDC) new Okere Falls, Otaramarae and Whangamarino sewerage scheme are in for some good news following completion of the project well under budget.
 
Final costs for constructing the sewerage scheme have come in more than $4 million under original estimates and the council is set to pass the savings on to property owners in the area.
 
The Okere Falls, Otaramarae and Whangamarino sewerage scheme has cost a total of $12.1 million (incl GST), $4.6 million less than earlier estimates of $16.7 million.
 
RDC Infrastructure Services group manager Nico Claassen says the substantial savings are the result of a highly competitive tendering programme, very careful management of costs throughout the project, and smart contract packaging.
 
“As a result of these savings, residents who opted to pay for connection to the scheme by way of a lump sum will find the amount to be paid has reduced significantly. Those ratepayers’ total capital contribution to the scheme will decrease from the previous estimate of $9035 (incl GST) per household unit equivalent down to $5728, a decrease of $3307.
 
“Other residents who have opted to pay for the scheme over a 25 year period through their annual rates would now need to pay $474.64 per year rather than $716.77.
 
Mr Claassen said the council has written to property owners in the area advising them of the cost reduction.
 
The Okere Falls, Otaramarae and Whangamarino sewerage scheme is part of a district-wide programme to improve the water quality of Rotorua’s lakes, in partnership with Te Arawa, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and the Crown. Lakes water quality has been detrimentally affected over many years by nutrient-rich wastewater leaching from septic tanks into groundwater before making its way into the lakes.
 
Mr Claassen said other new lakeside community sewerage schemes were now fully operational in Mourea/Okawa Bay, Brunswick/Rotokawa, Okareka, and Hinemoa Point, and were starting to show encouraging results in terms of water quality improvement.
 
He said the Hamurana/Awahou scheme was currently under construction and additional new sewerage schemes for Rotoma and Rotoiti were at the resource consent planning stage.

ENDS

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