Community Leaders' Column

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 5, 25 June 1985, Page 4

Community Leaders' Column

Ohakune is blessed with an abundant and sure supply of water. Not for us the annual advertising of hosing restrictions and rationing water. Not everything is absolutely perfect, of course. The outskirts of our reticulation area suffer from an inadequate flow and others within the town tolerate not infrequent discoloration. However, it is less in what you see than in what you don't see that very real problems lie. All residents will have read the recent warning

in regard to drinking our water. In short, our water is contaminated and the Health Department have rightly pointed out the danger and also the legal necessity for the town to upgrade the quality. It is necessary for the Borough to filter and disinfect the water supply. Whether we like it or not our water will possibly have to be chlorinated. The bottom line is that we can be required by the Health Department to undertake the work. Such work will cost money and, while the whole process may be achieved in stages, a significant cost is involved. Currently the cost is subsidised by Government in the region of 35-40%. In purely pragmatic and possibly cynical terms we can argue that we are fortunate that we now have a signifi-

cantly increased number of ratepayers over whom the burden may be spread! However, in the area of public health the cost cannot be our prime concern. The health of the people of our community and the health of the many visitors to this town must be paramount and can no longer be imperilled by a supply of water, the quality of which falls well below that required by the World Health Organisation.

Needless to say the present and previous councils have debated and discussed the issue exhaustively with all alternatives being considered. Indeed, this part of the process is by no means complete and further engineering reports are awaited. Ironic indeed that the fresh and frequently crystalclear water praised as such by so many visitors to the area is, in truth, more than it appears to be. ★ ★ ★ My column this week would not be complete if I failed to mention the retirement of Mr Sid Herewini from the employ of the Borough. Mr Herewini has served this town for 28 years; an outstanding level of service. I know that everyone will join me in expressing gratitude to him and in extending wishes for a very long and a very happy retirement.

W

. Taylor

Mayor of Ohakune