Tauranga City Council elected members will be considering a report on the fluoridation of the city’s water supply at the Council Meeting on Monday, 26 August.

The report provides elected members with background information about the Director-General of Health’s direction that the Council must fluoridate Tauranga’s water by 30 November. The report also seeks approval to complete further work investigating approaches and options for the provision of a non-fluoridated water supply for those who choose it.

In July 2022, the Director General of Health directed 14 local authorities, including Tauranga City Council, to add fluoride to their water supplies. Once activated, the supply will contain between 0.7 to 1ppm (parts per million) of fluoride, in line with the Water Services (Drinking Water Standards for New Zealand) Regulations 2022 and section 116I of the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water Amendment Act 2021). The specialised equipment required to fluoridate the water at the Council’s water treatment plants costs around $3M and has been funded by central Government.

At this meeting, the elected members will make a decision on how they wish to proceed, based on a recommendation that fluoridation should start from mid-September, to allow the necessary testing and commissioning processes to be undertaken to comply with the direction from the Director-General of Health, and with the conditions of the funding agreement with the Ministry of Health.

Council will also be considering two other key projects on Monday.

New Ferry Trial

Council will consider whether funding will be allocated to cover up to 50% of a two-year ferry trial (a maximum amount of $1.4M over two years), on the condition Bay of Plenty Regional Council funds the other 50%.

The proposal before Council aims to provide a fast, efficient, and environmentally friendly transport option, with the trial initially offering two ferries operating between Tauranga Moana Waterfront and Salisbury Wharf in Mount Maunganui within 12 months. Potential expansion to include other routes would be based on demand.

Funds required for the first year of the trial would be covered by savings identified by Council staff, or by increasing debt if sufficient savings cannot be made. Underwriting of the second year would be included in the 2026 Annual Plan and rates setting process.

Fifteenth Avenue to Welcome Bay project

Endorsement will be sought at Monday’s Council meeting to submit a business case for funding for the ‘Connecting the people - Fifteenth Avenue to Welcome Bay’ project to NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.

The purpose of the project is to reduce congestion on this key corridor by incorporating a third ‘tidal flow’ lane on the Hairini Bridge and causeway. The project will also include an upgrade of water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure under the road.

Mayor Mahé Drysdale says resolving congestion problems on this transport route will not only give locals improved access to and from the city centre, but contribute to overall economic growth and prosperity of Tauranga.

“In September and October last year, Council asked the community for feedback on proposed options for improvements to Fifteenth Avenue, Turret Road, the Hairini Bridge and causeway and Welcome Bay Road. Along with input from our partners – mana whenua, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and NZTA – more than 1000 members of the community provided their views on a range of improvements,” Mahé says.

“There was strong support for upgrading the Hairini Bridge and causeway to add a third ‘tidal flow’ lane, which will help ease congestion by providing for two lanes of traffic into the city in the morning, changing to two lanes going out of the city in the afternoon.

“While we know there was also strong support for four lanes on the bridge, the three-lane option makes the best use of the existing bridge and offers good value for money to ratepayers.”

Other proposed improvements include providing extra lanes along Fifteenth Avenue from Cameron Road to Burrows St for vehicles with two or more passengers (including buses), as well as providing new signalised crossings and shared-use paths for people walking, cycling and scootering.

Along Welcome Bay Road, new traffic signals are proposed for the James Cook Drive intersection to improve traffic flow, give priority to buses, and provide a safe place to cross the road; as well as a new mini-roundabout at the intersection of James Cook Drive and Victory Street to improve safety at this intersection.

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