Naseby free water allocation reviewed

The Maniototo Community Board has delayed introducing water-metering in Naseby for a year and will seek a "fairer" method of allocating water.

Commercial property owners were going to face charges for excess water use from the start of last month, with the rest of the properties on the town supply connected to water meters next year, but residents complained about the amount they would be allocated as "free water" before charges applied.

Under water-metering, both domestic and commercial users of water would have to pay extra if they used more than the equivalent of 460 litres of water a day.

Clyde residents had been allocated 2052 "free" litres a day and Cromwell 879 litres.

At Thursday's board meeting the board reconsidered its earlier decision on water metering, resolving to start charging Naseby water supply users for excess water from July 2010.

Central Otago District Council assets and contracts manager Murray Washington said it was obvious the formula to assess the amount of "free water" was unfair on Naseby residents, "so we're going to have another look at that, to see what is a reasonable allocation."

"We'll promote something a bit more acceptable to the community."

Because the formula took into account the amount of water used in the town, it penalised residents for not using much water in the past.

However, the council was trying to encourage the conservation of water.

"Water-metering is not a revenue collection process - it's about the conservation of water."

There was no differentiation between commercial and domestic users of water when it came to allocating the amount of free water, he said.

Naseby's situation was complicated by the fact that so many of its ratepayers were holiday home owners.

"We have to be careful not to disadvantage the permanent residents, who keep the town going," board chairman Richard Smith said.

• Water metering will be introduced in Patearoa, which means town consumers of the township's supply will now be charged for excess water use. Their allocation of free water is 365cu m, or 1000 litres a day and takes effect immediately.