Solution: Nationalise the services that install and maintain the water treatment plant infrastructure. We spend far too much on outsourced public sector work.
My elderly mother is in her 80's and has metered water. Watercare Services runs the water and reads the meter. After months of rain last year they were unable to read the meter because of a large amount of mud which had washed into the meter, which is at the end of the garden. First time mum found out about this was when she received a huge bill several times what she had ever spent on water usage, which it turned out the computer had automatically spat out because a reading had not been taken for so long. So we asked them to come back and fix the meter and Watercare said oh no the meter is the house holders responsibility. They expected an 80 year old lady to be digging mud out of their meter at the end of her garden so they could read it. They said their meter readers aren't allowed to touch the meters. We asked who we could call and Watercare had no answers Perhaps they could be called "Water we don't care or provide services."
There is a huge waste of rain water off roofs. Councils, in their greed, install tanks which reduce the flow into stormwater; but they do not allow the retention of water for home/garden use. They would far rather increase rates and force reticulated water use than allow households to catch and use their own water. Where is the logic in that?
If Every Home in New Zealand had the job of purchasing and installing the most affordable water tank/pump and get it done Right, that would open business opportunities for tank and pump makers and installers and Tank Cleaners so make a real Job for the GCSB and we would Know what our water's got in it.
Hi from Hamilton. Who should be accountable? absolutely the council. Goes to show the maintenance has not been kept up to date. I don't see why rate payers should be made to pay for the council's incompetents. There was nothing wrong with long drops. We would not have a problem with our water. I agree this is a huge problem, it is saddening that everything comes down to money. Where did the good-hearted people go that just did things because it had to be done. Bay Of Plenty, Kawarau spread their sewage over a part of the town, what's up with that.
I installed my own water system and ran it to Defeat MetroWater in Yuckland, Family of 3, 2x5000ltr tanks, had a garden to water as well. MetroWater had my water meter replaced 3 times because it wasn't working, it didn't Move, to them all 3 were broken ... I didn't use it and at the time if my meter didn't turn they couldn't charge me for Any Water usage including Black and Gray
Why is there a Water Problem in New Zealand? What have you done Wrong ... End of summer in Northland and I'm still sitting on 20,000 gallons, all collected off my roof ... at the cost of a roof [if it's raining and you're not getting wet, look up you may have one] a tank and a pump - Tops if you already have a roof tops of $5000 per household in New Zealand, that leaves "Gray & Blackwater" if the council can handle?
Thank you 1 News for allowing people to comment/discuss : ) Yes how do we remedy for current NZdrs and the additional millions of new users via immigration and tourism ? •1st whole country metered (for fairness sake) •Leaks fixed to prevent waste •Fresh Water used twice (eg clothes or bath water etc to toilet ) •Pay to use public out of town toilets ($1 each all adds up & fair) •Roof water yes, the supply load needs to be spread and eased. • Government needs to assist via a small % of NZ taxes towards a NZdrs basic need. •Plus, alternative toilets eg incinerator and others would help us be more water responsible (use less,pollute less and less pressure on ponds etc (one solution doesn't fit all). Increasing our slready major loans from other countries means losing our Independence individually and as a country and we lose our ability to make or own decisions. All this is for our generation and the next and the next...
Thanks so much for shining your bright light on this issue John. Access to clean potable water is a human right for all NZers, but the cost of this per person/ratepayer is obviously way higher in small rural centres, and in many cases prohibitively expensive. Two decades ago rural communities were battling for good affordable internet and mobile services, and it required recognising the issue as a human rights one, and strong government action and funding to largely solve the problem. Today's rural water/waste water issues look to be an order of magnitude more expensive to fix, ouch.
Here in Whanganui the most common comments from new residents is that there is no council rates inclusive kerbside rubbish collections. And the tap water tastes bitter and or dry. Because it's a hard water zone. When we question the water quality ratepayers are quick to say they don't want to pay for it and you should pay $3k yourself to get a water softener and filter installed at your own place. There's actually quite a little industry that's set up for this.
This is a critical issue that needs community engagement asap. Thanks John for producing a bloody good series on the state of our country's water infrastructure. Most people have no clue or care. And now with the repealing of the Three Waters bill there's very little chance we'll make any advancements on NZ's estimated 185 billion dollar repair bill. Aint a shit show. Keep shining the light on this one John!!
It is difficult to decide whether a user pays model or ratepayer funded model is more appropriate for water. Here in Auckland it's user pays with metering. We also have to pay for our rubbish removal, buying tags to put on our rubbish bins or the garbage collectors won't take them. Rate payers could understandably ask if their council doesn't supply water or remove trash without paying extra, then what are they actually spending all the rates money on? I don't see any rates rebates to compensate for the user charges for services that always used to be supplied by the Councils through rates. On the other hand, in Wellington for example it's difficult to see how Councils can possibly cover the billions of $ it will cost to fix the water issues without some form of user charges or central Government assistance. Everyone uses water so it would not be fair or equitable for rate payers to shoulder the full burden. Of course there is one other way to fund the water issues which has not been mentioned. It's a method used around the world recently in response to another crisis (the pandemic) known as "quantatitive easing." The Government could simply print the billions of $ to fund the water, which would ultimately devalue the dollar and cause inflation. But at least it would spread the burden of funding this to everyone, by reducing everyone's purchasing power a bit. As the central Government is based in Wellington and that city has such a water crisis, I wonder whether quantatitive easing may be on the agenda. Not advocating for it by any means, just wondering... Because central Governments just can't seem to stop printing money.
I wish this piece had been done before the election. 3 waters, drinking water, grey water and black water are a nation wide problem and for the National party to throw nation wide water policy and management out the window is so short sighted.
There's is a lot of water in Wellington. Don't compare your auckland to us. We already have high rates, insurance, mortgage etc. Water should be free anyway and winter is coming, will be a lot of rain
National has been talking up their "Roads of National Significance" but their actual legacy might be poos of national significance. Just a matter of time before there's another Havelock North.
Who’s to blame? Add the Tax Payers Union (not a union) who have been wasting councils time and money with frivolous requests and pressuring councils to spend less on essential services like water.
so why did the last Government waste sooooo much taxpayers dollars on not supporting the proper deliverance of water to people. Who got that wasted money - that would be an interesting question to ask!
Easy to take all the money out of carbon credits and climate change net-zero endeavour and fund water infrastructure and clean and green investments instead.
![[TH] VCT Pacific - Regular Season - สัปดาห์ที่ 4 วันที่ 1 // BLD vs PRX | GE vs DFM](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/MdnZuQ1-pas/mqdefault.jpg)
![[TH] VCT Pacific - Regular Season - สัปดาห์ที่ 4 วันที่ 1 // BLD vs PRX | GE vs DFM](/img/tr.png)
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so good! to see and hear public interest journalism in new zealand, such a rare, threatened and precious thing to behold!
Love your work John, but do you think it might have been better to investigate this BEFORE the election?
Solution: Nationalise the services that install and maintain the water treatment plant infrastructure. We spend far too much on outsourced public sector work.
My elderly mother is in her 80's and has metered water. Watercare Services runs the water and reads the meter. After months of rain last year they were unable to read the meter because of a large amount of mud which had washed into the meter, which is at the end of the garden. First time mum found out about this was when she received a huge bill several times what she had ever spent on water usage, which it turned out the computer had automatically spat out because a reading had not been taken for so long. So we asked them to come back and fix the meter and Watercare said oh no the meter is the house holders responsibility. They expected an 80 year old lady to be digging mud out of their meter at the end of her garden so they could read it. They said their meter readers aren't allowed to touch the meters. We asked who we could call and Watercare had no answers Perhaps they could be called "Water we don't care or provide services."
There is a huge waste of rain water off roofs. Councils, in their greed, install tanks which reduce the flow into stormwater; but they do not allow the retention of water for home/garden use. They would far rather increase rates and force reticulated water use than allow households to catch and use their own water. Where is the logic in that?
What's wrong with every home has it's own roof collection water? ... like I have for the last 40 years
If Every Home in New Zealand had the job of purchasing and installing the most affordable water tank/pump and get it done Right, that would open business opportunities for tank and pump makers and installers and Tank Cleaners so make a real Job for the GCSB and we would Know what our water's got in it.
Hi from Hamilton.
Who should be accountable? absolutely the council. Goes to show the maintenance has not been kept up to date.
I don't see why rate payers should be made to pay for the council's incompetents.
There was nothing wrong with long drops. We would not have a problem with our water.
I agree this is a huge problem, it is saddening that everything comes down to money.
Where did the good-hearted people go that just did things because it had to be done.
Bay Of Plenty, Kawarau spread their sewage over a part of the town, what's up with that.
I installed my own water system and ran it to Defeat MetroWater in Yuckland, Family of 3, 2x5000ltr tanks, had a garden to water as well.
MetroWater had my water meter replaced 3 times because it wasn't working, it didn't Move, to them all 3 were broken ... I didn't use it and at the time if my meter didn't turn they couldn't charge me for Any Water usage including Black and Gray
Why is there a Water Problem in New Zealand? What have you done Wrong ... End of summer in Northland and I'm still sitting on 20,000 gallons, all collected off my roof ... at the cost of a roof [if it's raining and you're not getting wet, look up you may have one] a tank and a pump - Tops if you already have a roof tops of $5000 per household in New Zealand, that leaves "Gray & Blackwater" if the council can handle?
Thank you 1 News for allowing people to comment/discuss : )
Yes how do we remedy for current NZdrs and the additional millions of new users via immigration and tourism ?
•1st whole country metered (for fairness sake)
•Leaks fixed to prevent waste
•Fresh Water used twice (eg clothes or bath water etc to toilet )
•Pay to use public out of town toilets ($1 each all adds up & fair)
•Roof water yes, the supply load needs to be spread and eased.
• Government needs to assist via a small % of NZ taxes towards a NZdrs basic need.
•Plus, alternative toilets eg incinerator and others would help us be more water responsible (use less,pollute less and less pressure on ponds etc (one solution doesn't fit all).
Increasing our slready major loans from other countries means losing our Independence individually and as a country and we lose our ability to make or own decisions.
All this is for our generation and the next and the next...
Thanks John, great program. Your such a nice bloke
Thanks for listening!
Thanks so much for shining your bright light on this issue John. Access to clean potable water is a human right for all NZers, but the cost of this per person/ratepayer is obviously way higher in small rural centres, and in many cases prohibitively expensive. Two decades ago rural communities were battling for good affordable internet and mobile services, and it required recognising the issue as a human rights one, and strong government action and funding to largely solve the problem. Today's rural water/waste water issues look to be an order of magnitude more expensive to fix, ouch.
Thank you for sharing John…
Here in Whanganui the most common comments from new residents is that there is no council rates inclusive kerbside rubbish collections. And the tap water tastes bitter and or dry. Because it's a hard water zone. When we question the water quality ratepayers are quick to say they don't want to pay for it and you should pay $3k yourself to get a water softener and filter installed at your own place. There's actually quite a little industry that's set up for this.
Nicely explained. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Commenting for the Algorithm. Huge topic.
Sadly, people have this mindset, out of sight, out of mind, and flush away, so many things not thought about back when they were built.
This is a critical issue that needs community engagement asap. Thanks John for producing a bloody good series on the state of our country's water infrastructure. Most people have no clue or care. And now with the repealing of the Three Waters bill there's very little chance we'll make any advancements on NZ's estimated 185 billion dollar repair bill. Aint a shit show. Keep shining the light on this one John!!
Rates and borrowing have limits under the local government law.
On Waiheke we have our own tanks!! Is it true that you are not allowed a tank in the wider Auckland area.....??
🤝🏽thanks JC
It is difficult to decide whether a user pays model or ratepayer funded model is more appropriate for water. Here in Auckland it's user pays with metering. We also have to pay for our rubbish removal, buying tags to put on our rubbish bins or the garbage collectors won't take them. Rate payers could understandably ask if their council doesn't supply water or remove trash without paying extra, then what are they actually spending all the rates money on? I don't see any rates rebates to compensate for the user charges for services that always used to be supplied by the Councils through rates.
On the other hand, in Wellington for example it's difficult to see how Councils can possibly cover the billions of $ it will cost to fix the water issues without some form of user charges or central Government assistance. Everyone uses water so it would not be fair or equitable for rate payers to shoulder the full burden.
Of course there is one other way to fund the water issues which has not been mentioned. It's a method used around the world recently in response to another crisis (the pandemic) known as "quantatitive easing." The Government could simply print the billions of $ to fund the water, which would ultimately devalue the dollar and cause inflation. But at least it would spread the burden of funding this to everyone, by reducing everyone's purchasing power a bit.
As the central Government is based in Wellington and that city has such a water crisis, I wonder whether quantatitive easing may be on the agenda. Not advocating for it by any means, just wondering... Because central Governments just can't seem to stop printing money.
YES!!! Everyone should have a tank.....!!!
Can we talk about how much water is being used in animal agriculture too please
I wish this piece had been done before the election. 3 waters, drinking water, grey water and black water are a nation wide problem and for the National party to throw nation wide water policy and management out the window is so short sighted.
Kia Ora John 😊
There's is a lot of water in Wellington. Don't compare your auckland to us. We already have high rates, insurance, mortgage etc. Water should be free anyway and winter is coming, will be a lot of rain
Ngā Mihi John 😊
National has been talking up their "Roads of National Significance" but their actual legacy might be poos of national significance. Just a matter of time before there's another Havelock North.
Kia Ora John
Who’s to blame? Add the Tax Payers Union (not a union) who have been wasting councils time and money with frivolous requests and pressuring councils to spend less on essential services like water.
What's the answer? Taxes Taxes Taxes. Tax the polluters, tax the high usage businesses and tax wealth properly and fairly...imo 😬
Kapai John as always just awesome work and much appreciated
johns DOPE
so why did the last Government waste sooooo much taxpayers dollars on not supporting the proper deliverance of water to people. Who got that wasted money - that would be an interesting question to ask!
Bring back pay to use public toilets it’s easy as that
Easy to take all the money out of carbon credits and climate change net-zero endeavour and fund water infrastructure and clean and green investments instead.
Bro welly think it grows on trees eh wasting water 😂😂😂😂😂