County keen on water rights move

Taupo Times, Volume 23, Issue 61, 1 August 1974, Page 1

County keen on water rights move

The Taupo County Council is keen to make all applications for water rights required for private subdivisions, on behalf of the developers. But it will ask the Regional Water Board to bear half costs of possible appeals brought against the council, arising from decisions made by the board on water rights in private subdivisions. The Taupo Borough Council reeentlv opposed the suggestion that local authorities apply for water rights on behalf of subdividers. A change in poliey is proposed in a report from the National Water and Soil Conservation Council and reeeived at the eountv council's mceting yesterday. Ihe county engineer. Mr J. W. Bull. warned. howeVef. that "a niee balance must he maintained between cou ncil stitff doing all the clcyelVvpers" engincering work. and retaining

the necessarv control" under the new; system. "While sorne clarification is needed on minor points. the new proposal would eliminate the granting of unsatisfactorv water rights." he said. "The water right sought recently by developers at Hatepe is a case in point. "The council was not aware of development proposals until advised by the Waikato Vallev Authority that a water right was being sought. "The information available was sketchy and supplied onlv bv. courtesv of the W.V.A. Mr Bull said the proposed procedure would require the developers to consult council in the preparation of subdivisioh'al proposals. and could onlv resuit in a better p.lanned development, less susceptible to frustrating delays while detail was b'eing completed.