The decision was made at the council’s extraordinary meeting earlier this month, following a discussion by councillors around the cost of up keeping the facility and the success of other paid toilets in Tekapo’s Hamilton Drive.
Reinstating the user charges at the footbridge toilets would support maintenance costs and assist the council in meeting its annual income target, a report in the agenda said.
The council’s general manager operations and regulatory services, Neil Jorgensen said, historically, pay-to-use toilets had required more maintenance and that was something the revenue would support.
"The system’s not totally fool-proof and it does fail from time to time, so it does require more unplanned maintenance."
Users would soon pay between $1.50 and $2 (depending on payment type) to use the toilets.
Opuha ward councillor and deputy mayor, Rit Fisher, questioned the cost of reinstating the pay machines at the footbridge toilets.
Mr Jorgensen said it would be "relatively easy" to turn back on.
"There was no removal of kit from the site ... the minimal cost is just the electrician or the company to turn it back on."
Councillors unanimously supported the reinstating of the user charges, the decision moved by Pukaki ward councillor Frank Hocken and seconded by Cr Fisher.
Toilet user charges for the Tekapo footbridge and Hamilton Drive facilities were initially introduced in the council’s 2025-26 annual plan.
Mr Jorgensen said charges at the Tekapo footbridge toilets were removed mid-2025, after the council ruled only non-urban facilities would be user-pays.
"Council discussed this matter and voted that main toilet blocks outside of the urban areas would be user pays and those within the 50km speed limit would not."
The Hamilton Drive facilities, constructed in July, sit outside the urban area and had maintained user charges.
The cost to use the Hamilton Drive toilets was $1.50 for electronic payments and $2 for coin payment.
The charges generated about $25,000 in gross annual revenue.
The same charges would apply to footbridge facilities.
• LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
By Claire Taylor
