Changing environmental standards for drinking water sources could affect thousands of bores in Otago and ratchet up costs.
The Otago Regional Council has called for the Ministry for the Environment to seek urgent advice about the costs regional authorities could face to implement adjusted standards.
"The impact such a work programme would have on our ratepayers could be substantial, and in addition to significant rate rises over the last two years due to the increased work programme associated with implementing various central government initiatives," the council told the ministry.
Proposed adjustments to the standards have been designed to bring a systematic and catchment-wide approach to water source protection, including for small rural supplies.
A government inquiry after a campylobacter outbreak at Havelock North, in Hawke’s Bay, in 2016 found "belowground boreheads are undesirable and introduce additional and unnecessary risk".
Otago has numerous bores installed underground, partly because of winter temperatures.
The council was wary of any sweeping move to get bores up to scratch.
The council said it understood and had experience with bores that were not maintained well and which presented risks to drinking water.
"However, the impact of requiring them all to be removed is not insignificant and should not be underestimated."
The council asked the ministry to consider funding a pilot scheme implementing proposed amendments.
It volunteered Otago as the region for such a trial, which could establish "an accurate account of costs" that regional authorities faced.
The proposed changes to standards are expected to provide a nationally consistent approach for identifying activities that pose risks to the sources of drinking water.
It is also argued improved standards will help to reduce costs associated with ill health in the long term.
The total economic cost from the Havelock North outbreak was estimated at $21 million.
About 20% of New Zealanders are estimated to not have access to water that complies with the full set of standards.
Comments
Councils (TLAs) are responsible for public drinking water supplies (e.g. Havelock North) but are not responsible for ensuring private water supplies from underground bores are safe to drink. Regional Councils have no responsibility to provide potable water. Bore water can be made safe using appropriate treatment systems that are commercially available. This is not a problem that should affect ratepayers. Anyone who drinks untreated bore water (or roof water) runs the risk of waterborne disease. Heaven help us if ORC gets involved!!