Interest costs bump up council drains budget

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 687, 20 May 1997, Page 5

Interest costs bump up council drains budget

'The majority of complaints to Council have been in connection with drainage and stormwater." So said Ruapehu District Council acting CEO Chris Ryan when addressing district councillors in Taumarunui last week on the 1997/98 Draft Annual Plan. Under discussion was district drainage in Taumarunui, National Park, Whakapapa-Iwikau, Ohakune, Raetihi, Pipiriki, Rangataua and Waiouru. A summary of the proposed budgets and objectives are set out below. National Park Minor changes in interest and overhead budgets have resulted in a small decrease overall from $128,000 last year to $ 1 26,000. In reply to a question about the cost of sewerage in National Park, CEO Chris Ryan said that $64,000 was going from the general rates to assist with making National Park sewerage rates affordable to local ratepayers? The association between drainage and road sealing in National Park was alluded to and described as a 'chicken and egg' situation. Ideally, in National Park where the majority of roads are unsealed, both the road sealing and the laying of additional drainage should be attended to at the same

time instead of doubling up and having to carry out remedial work to whichever was done first. Whakapapa-Iwikau The Council has reviewed the terms on which it will participate in this venture with the result that the budget for 1997/98 has been substantially reduced form $44,000 last vear to $23,000. Council believes that the long-term solutions to the problem of sewerage disposal in Whakapapa-Iwikau are likely to be expensive and will require careful community consultation as to priority and funding equity. Ohakune The budget for Ohakune has been increased from $93,000 last year to $ 1 0 1 ,000 to meet the higher interest payments that will be incurred during the 1 997/ 98 year. Among Council' s objectives are plans to construct and commission a wetland area at the Ohakune oxidation pond to improve the quality of effluent currently being discharged. Another plan is to duplicate part of the trunk sewer in Mangawhero Terrace to cater for increased flows (from the Junction area). Invesjigations are also underway to find solutions to the significant stormwater drainage problems in Ohakune.

Raetihi The impact of increased interest payments (although offset by the reduced cost of maintaining the reticulation system) have resulted in an overall budget increase of $6,000 from $64,000 last year to $70,000 for 1997/ 98. Much of the sewerage reticulation in Raetihi is in a poor state of repair with many displaced joints ancf cracked and broken pipes. A major upgrade of the system is programmed to start in October this year. Pipiriki A start is to be made on maintaining the septic tanks that deliver effluent to the reticulation system. This accounts for the small increase of $1,000 from $ 1 9,000 last year to $20,000 this year. Rangataua Interest paypients are expected to increase by $3,000 in the coming year. However, this increase is offset by savings in other activities resulting in a small overall increase of $1,000 from $28,000 last year to $29,000 this year. Waiouru No changes have been required to be made to the 1 996/97 budgeted amounts for operating and maintaining the sewerage system so the sum allocated for 1997/ 98 will remain the same at $26,000.