Borough look at water storage option

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 5, Issue 8, 21 July 1987, Page 1

Borough look at water storage option

While the Ohakune Borough Council has decided to set up a water treatment system using an ultraviolet method of disinfection, they are undecided as to the form the system will take. The option first chosen was for a duplication of the water main from the source with a treatment plant at the boundary with the Tongariro National Park. The council's engineers Payne Sewell Ltd have recommended to council that they approve a plan that incorporates the UV system and a pipe extension to a site in Soldiers Road where storage tanks would be built. Many councillors said at last week's full council meeting that they believed the water storage option was not necessary and too expensive. Councillor Ben Goddard said he had information which suggested that the supply capacity was three times the present peak demand. This peak was measured when all carrot washers were operating, in winter when the town was hosting a maximum number of visitors. Mayor Bill Taylor and Cr Ben Goddard said it would seem the supply capacity would be adequate for the next ten, if not twenty years. Councillor Ellen Gould expressed the feeling that although storage was not needed now, proper costings of the two systems should be obtained

and that the Council should examine both systems to see if it was worth taking advantage of the 37% government subsidy on storage systems. Councillor Jim Goldfinch told council he had roughly estimated the cost of the two systems, and found that the UV system alone would cost $400,000 while the system incorporating storage would cost $1,216,000. Cr Ben Goddard said opting for the UV treatment alone did not rule out the possibility of installing storage tanks at a later date when and if it became necessary. Cr Goldfinch moved that the council obtain a costing of the UV system alone. "Are we prepared to go to $1 million, because if we're not we're wasting our money getting them to prepare a submission," he said. This motion put by Cr Goldfinch wais lost. Councillor Bruce Thompson moved that the council obtain costings -on both options. This motion was carried. Council also discussed the cost of the systems per ratepayer. For the UV system an average cost of $300 to $320 per ratepayer was estimated. It was suggested at the meeting that ratepayers could be given the option of a one-off payment for the system, or to pay for the system in instalments. Those ratepayers who chose to pay the one-off charge would avoid interest payments.