Rangataua sewerage scheme

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 15, 9 September 1986, Page 2

Rangataua sewerage scheme

Dear Sir, After attending the meeting at Rangataua on 1 September regarding the sewerage and water scheme, a couple of things come to mind. After the scheme had gone ahead would it be fair to say that there would be a" substantial increase in rates to the ratepayers? The cost of the whole scheme is approximately $550,000, of this roughly a third will be subsidised by Government. The rest will have to be found by the ratepayers of Rangataua at the substantial cost of approximately $2 500 per section. which would mean a heavy cost to some. After attending the meeting and receiving newsletters on the scheme I cannot recall whether council was prepared to contribute any money to the scheme. Surely if they are to receive the extra revenue from increased rates they should be prepared to put something in.

If the scheme does go ahead I believe there will be substantial development in Rangataua, industry, motels and chalets. There has been a lot of talk on the health hazard, polluted water, high water tables and bad drainage. Having lived in Rangataua on and off for the last forty years I can recall that the only form of sewerage disposal years ago was the "The Long Drop" or "The Can". To dispose of "The Can" it was duly taken out to the back paddock or in most cases the home vege garden and buried. The results of this were quite staggering. I looked around the Rangataua Hall on Monday night and saw all the fit and healthy specimens, not to mention the many old identities who have lived here all their lives. In all the time I've been here I cannot recall any

cases of hepatitis, dysentery and so on. It must be remembered that in the early days Rangataua had a population in the excess of 2000 so surely things can't be any worse now. Last but not least. Mr Martin quoted that Rangataua was allocated $1000 a year for drainage which Tm sure would not go far nowadays. Hence the fact that drainage and water table levels are not up to standard. Now the good wise men of council appear to me to be a group of intelligent and persuasive gentlemen and women. Maybe they could turn their attention to Mr Lange and party and persuade them to supply the subsidy from the sewerage scheme towards upgrading the drainage and water table problems, thus cutting any cost to the ratepayers who in some cases would not be able to afford the cost of the sewerage installation. Yours faithfuU \ Concerned Ratepayer Tom Spr \