The Dunedin City Council is to rewrite its water bylaw to tackle illegal connections to the city's water supply, and consider urging those taking water without paying to come forward.
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However, city councillors have also been warned there is no guarantee some of those who do come forward will not have their water disconnected.
The issue of illegal water connections was discussed again at this week's Dunedin City Council infrastructure services committee meeting.
Councillors debated offering an amnesty to those who knew they were not paying for their water, who wanted to come forward and formalise their supply arrangements.
However, councillors eventually stopped short of committing to the idea, after Mayor Peter Chin warned using the term "amnesty" might send the wrong signal that all was forgiven.
Instead, councillors asked staff to consider the best way of encouraging people to come forward and report to the committee's next meeting on July 19.
The debate followed revelations in April up to 170 properties with "suspect" connections to the city's reticulated network were being investigated by council staff, with 52 identified who had been paying nothing at all.
Many had arisen from informal approval granted by council staff, operating under pre-amalgamation authority, prior to 1992.
The figures included Dunedin mayoral candidate Cr Dave Cull, who in April admitted he had inherited an illegal water connection when he bought his Portobello home 15 years ago.
He had continued to use the supply despite not paying water rates, although he had raised the issue with council staff and declared the matter publicly at the last infrastructure services committee meeting in April.
This week, council staff outlined a proposal to review the council's water bylaw 2008 to allow suspect connections to be dealt with, including those deemed to be illegal and others found outside water supply boundaries.
The existing bylaw prevented properties outside water supply zones from connecting to council water pipes, and required consultation before any changes to water supply boundaries.
Under the proposed revision, some "out of zone" connections identified - dating back to between 1992 and mid-2008 - would be formalised and homeowners charged for water.
However, others lacking proper documentation, or other reticulated drainage, could be deemed to be illegal or in breach of the council's bylaw, a report by council asset planning manager Laura McElhone said.
Since the April committee meeting, about 800 properties had been identified that were outside supply zones but receiving council-supplied water, many rural and paying a variety of charges.
However, 51 properties were receiving water without paying.
