$6m Proposed To Run Water Networks In South Wairarapa

Sunday, 9 March 2025, 10:14 pm
Article: Emily Ireland - Local Democracy Reporter

March 7, 2025

South Wairarapa District Council has proposed spending $6.05 million to run and maintain its water network in the 2025-26 year - an amount that aims to balance stability with affordability for ratepayers.

It is the lowest budget option in its Long-Term Plan consultation document and almost $3m short of Wellington Water’s recommended approach.

The council’s preferred $6.05m option would be a slight increase on last year’s budget and takes inflation into account.

The consultation document said it allowed for the “continued safe maintenance and operation of our assets” and included committed contracts for high priority work.

It also left some risks unattended to within the water supply, wastewater, and stormwater public systems and meant there would be no further progress on the Featherston Stormwater Catchment Plan to reduce impacts of future flood events.

Under this option, ratepayers serviced by the council’s three waters network would pay a combined $2658 per SUIP (separately used or inhabitable part - dwelling).

Another option the council is consulting on is the same plan but with a $500,000 contingency fund for emergency work, such as remediation to a wastewater treatment plant leak.

This option would bring the total rates increase across the district to 6.8% instead of the proposed 4.3% and would cost $2778 per serviced SUIP.

A third option was a $7.08m budget which would include additional renewal work, more planned maintenance activities, and water supply investigations.

The total rates rise would be 8.7% and would cost $2905 per serviced SUIP.

The fourth option, which was Wellington Water’s recommended approach, was a $8.97m budget.

It would: ensure current levels of service were met; pay for investigations to improve drinking water quality; reduce flooding risks; and plan for growth.

The consultation document said it was the option with the least risk and involved more investment in condition assessments, growth planning, and more focus on sustainability, health and safety, and long-term replacement of assets.

This option would result in a total rates increase of 15.1% and would cost $3315 per serviced SUIP.

The council said its preferred low-budget high-risk option would work best as it maintained “a significant uplift in the operating budget since 2021-22” and kept rates at an “affordable level, which our community had told us is important”.

“Over the past four financial years, we have more than doubled the budgets for water, wastewater, and stormwater services, significantly addressing historical underinvestment and easing maintenance pressures,” the council said in its consultation document.

“This substantial investment has strengthened resilience and improved service reliability.

“Given this progress, a minimal budget increase next year is a reasonable approach to ensure continued stability while balancing affordability for ratepayers.”

To read the consultation document and complete an online submission form, visit: haveyoursay.swdc.govt.nz/long-term-plan

Local Democracy Reporting will continue to report in more detail on South Wairarapa’s “Big Decisions” in a multi-part series.

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