Coast Cafe and Restaurant owner Richard Collins salutes the
decision to link the Oamaru and Kakanui water supplies to
improve drinking water in Kakanui. Photo by Andrew Ashton.
In an early gesture of Christmas cheer, Oamaru ratepayers
will fork out to shout residents in Kakanui a drink.
At present the Kakanui water supply does not meet new
national drinking standards and does not have water treatment
facilities, but the Waitaki District Council has resolved to
solve the problem by connecting the Oamaru and Kakanui water
supplies by pipeline.
Cr Jim Hopkins said the decision to link the two water
supplies was ''the best solution and the most
cost-effective''.
Although the decision would add an extra $7 a year to rates
in Oamaru, there had been no opposition to the idea, Cr
Hopkins said.
''No-one from Oamaru has said that we don't want this.
''I'd like to think that it reflects that the community has
seen the wider sense of good,'' Cr Hopkins said.
A recent survey of residents in Kakanui garnered 93% support
in favour of the township being connected to the Oamaru water
and waste-water network.
Council assets manager Neil Jorgensen said 156 Kakanui
residents had been surveyed and 145 had supported the idea of
connecting to the Oamaru supply.
Mr Jorgensen added that a public meeting, held last week, had
also indicated strong support for the idea.
Coast Cafe and Restaurant owner Richard Collins said the
decision would make a big difference to his business and
other small businesses in Kakanui.
''We filter our own water but we still have an issue with the
taste, no matter how much it is filtered. We are really happy
about this; it will certainly make a difference to the
quality of product we can offer customers.''
- andrew.ashton@odt.co.nz
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