Waipā is print-ready with water asset plans, Mary Anne Gill reports, but Chris Gardner finds one of their proposed partners is still making its mind up.
Water. Photo: pexels.com
Waipā District Council has revealed it plans to go into the newspaper business.
Good Local Media’s biggest rival wants to put a newspaper into every letter box in the district to explain its involvement in a group of seven councils who could set up a company to manage water assets.
The latest iteration of the former Labour led government’s Three Waters proposal is on course to see Waipā, Ōtorohanga, Waitomo, Hauraki, Matamata-Piako, South Waikato and Taupō councils work together.
The group – representing a total of 205,000 people – has been under the Waikato Water Done Well moniker, but Waipā councillors were told last week staff wants the group to be known as the Super Seven.
It presumes that the other six will stay in the tent – but as Chris Gardner reports, Ōtorohanga is still considering other options.
See: It’s not quite a water done-deal
Super Seven water assets
Waipā decided last month to go with the six neighbours for the future delivery of water services rather than team up with Hamilton city and Waikato district.
But it must consult with Waipā residents before lodging a Water Services Delivery Plan with the government by September 3 – and it will invest heavily in advertising it.
Infographics and wording included for a 24-page consultation document were expected to be approved by Waipā councillors yesterday.
It’s not clear whether or not any of the other six councils have similar publicity plans.
Mike Pettit
Staff told councillors the council would also produce its own four-page “mini newspaper” which would be distributed to every household in Waipā to tell its water story.
Getting the council newspaper into every letter box in Waipā will present a considerable and costly challenge – especially given the limitation of the rural distribution network.
The move to print was not questioned by councillors last week – though in January they were dismissive of print products, and one suggested he threw his community newspaper in the rubbish bin.
There were discussions, though, over the content of the document.
In response to a query from Cambridge councillor Mike Pettit about an iwi message in the document, chief executive Steph O’Sullivan said each of the councils were having conversations.
Hinerangi Kara
Hinerangi Kara, the mana whenua representative on the Service Delivery committee, said a decision would need to be made about which iwi would make the statement or whether it would be multiple iwi.
Waipā has six water treatment plants, 575 kilometres of water mains and pipes and plans to spend $214.4 million on water in the next nine years.
It has two wastewater plants treating 14,477 properties with 67 pump stations and 304.1km of mains.
The council plans to spend $170 million on infrastructure development, $55 million on the Te Awamutu Plant and $44 million to complete Cambridge.
