Are councils any good at taking care of our water supply?
Thursday, 15 September 2016
Whether you're an avid beachgoer or just a tooth-brushing fanatic, your council is to thank - or to blame - for what's going on with your water. But are they flushing money down the drain?
As voting papers in local elections are sent out, we are taking a closer look at the way councils spend on water supply and wastewater, and how each region's natural swimming holes shape up.
For instance, Manawatu may not feature on many 'world's greatest' lists, but there's one area where it's punching above its weight internationally: freshwater pollution. Its regional council candidates are lining up with promises to clean up Manawatu waterways, if they're elected.
So how are different councils spending on water, and what does that mean for rivers, lakes and beaches?
WHAT DO COUNCILS DO?
Every time you turn on a tap or flush your toilet, your city or district council plays a role: it delivers your water supply (and fluoridates it, too, depending where you live) and then gets rid of used water, including waste from your loo.
Councils spend money on infrastructure like pipes and treatment plants - that's the big one-off 'capital spending'. They also spend money on upkeep of the system, these annual figures are available for every council.
A typical city council dedicates about 12 per cent of its annual spending to wastewater, which is about the same as is normally spent on sport and recreation.
The proportion spent on water supply is often similar to the proportion spent on planning and regulation.
Many councils charge ratepayers water rates. Tauranga Council, for example, charges an annual base fee of $28.45, rising to $1117 for the largest water meters, plus $1.83 per cubic metre (1000 litres) of water.
BIG (AND LITTLE) SPENDERS
In the year to June 2015, Auckland's operating expenditure was the lowest per capita for both wastewater and water supply. With a population of 1.5 million, its $134.9 million spend on wastewater worked out to $85.95 each, while its $32.4 million for water supply is just $20.69 per person.
Auckland's council-controlled water organisation, Watercare, was eager to stress that despite the low figures, its capital spend was far greater than any other: In 2015, it invested $137m in water supply projects, and $175 million in wastewater.
Auckland Council spends lots of money on infrastructure but the least per capita on upkeep.
It said that over the next 10 years, its capital spend for water supply would average about $190m a year, and $286m a year for wastewater.
One spot ahead of Auckland in annual per-capita spending was Palmerston North City Council, which spent the least overall on its water supply ($3.1 million, or $37.05 for each of its 85,500 residents), while its wastewater spend was the third lowest ($7.5m; $88.27 per person).
The council said its water supply costs were low because much of its water came from bores within the city, and required only chlorination, while its flat landscape and grid network made both water distribution and wastewater collection more efficient.
It added that it was spending 'significant' amounts on upgrades and city growth, including resilience of its water supply network.
Christchurch's operating expenditure was the highest per capita: in 2015, it spent $73.7m on water supply ($200.41 per person), and $109.4 million on wastewater ($297.68 per person).
However, John Mackie, the head of Christchurch City Council's water and waste unit, challenged the accuracy of the data. He said in reality, his city sat behind Auckland and Wellington, whose figures were skewed because they had council-controlled water organisations.
THE STATE OF OUR WATER
It's difficult to compare the quality - or lack thereof - of New Zealand's waterways, due to the lack of a consistent national, comparable standard. But a 'Suitability for Swimming' index, compiled by the Ministry for the Environment in 2013 from water tests and inspections carried out by councils, is a good guide to how healthy each spot is.
Overall, Bay of Plenty has the best spots for a summer swim, with 38 of its 80 sites given a 'very good' health grade for recreational swimming. While 24 others also got a passing grade, 14 were 'poor' and three 'very poor'.
Bay of Plenty received more 'very good' ratings than any other region, including one of two sites at Ohope Beach. PHOTO: GRAHAME COX
One major challenge was the Tarawera River, which had been polluted by discharge from a Kawerau paper mill since the mid-1950s. While the river test site had a 'very good' result, the river mouth was 'poor'.
The council was working on a new regional plan for the river catchment, and was also spending 23 per cent of its $108.8m annual budget on improving regional water resources, including restoring wetlands and riverbanks, and fencing waterways to keep livestock out, a spokeswoman said.
And the worst? Manawatu-Whanganui.
Of the 29 sites tested, 14 were 'poor' and seven - including all four sites on the Manawatu River - were 'very poor'. Two sites - Castlecliff Beach and Foxton Beach - were 'very good', while Lake Dudding and Lake Wiritoa were 'good', and Himatangi Beach received a 'fair' grade.
Seven years ago, researchers found the Manawatu River was among the dirtiest in the western world, thanks to decades of treated sewage, farm runoff and industrial waste spewing into its waters. Its state is improving, thanks to a council-led project.
A sign warns of the degraded nature of the Manawatu River near its mouth at the Foxton Loop. PHOTO: MARNIE PRICKETT
Horizons Regional Council said it was unfair to call its waterways 'notoriously contaminated'.
The council was actively working to 'halt the trajectory of degradation of water quality, and science says we have done this', chief executive Michael McCartney said.
Effluent remained an issue, but the council was working with farmers to help reduce their environmental footprints, closely monitoring farm nutrient runoff, and sanctioning farmers who failed to meet targets.
Work was also being done to upgrade wastewater treatment plants across the Manawatu catchment, fence streams and replant riverbanks.
The council said over the 2015/16 summer, testing showed most of Manawatu's coastal spots were always safe to swim, and one popular spot on the Manawatu River was swimmable 'nearly 90 per cent of the time'.
'A BIG RELATIONSHIP'
Is there a link between councils' water spending, and the mixed state of our rivers, lakes and beaches?
Councils say yes - at least, in part.
Palmerston North City Council said it had done its bit to improve water quality in the Manawatu River by stopping four small community wastewater discharges, and was also working to upgrade its Totara Road wastewater treatment plant.
The Manawatu River's contamination has been a challenge for decades. PHOTO: DAVID UNWIN
However, it said overall responsibility for water quality remained with Horizons.
Auckland - one of the top performers on water quality* - has the advantage of having many coastal spots, where water is generally cleaner than in streams and rivers.
However, keeping the water clean also requires investment and dedication.
Auckland Council's general manager of healthy waters Craig McIlroy sees 'quite a big relationship' between councils' wastewater investment and water quality.
The Mangere Treatment Plant, for example, 'used to be quite a significant cause of contamination' for Manukau Harbour, but since a 2003 upgrade, 'that's been dramatically improved'.
An upcoming project to stop combined overflows of wastewater and stormwater gushing into the Waitemata Harbour would also 'have a really significant impact on water quality', he said.
However, he admits that when it comes to water quality, councils can't fix everything.
'Auckland's got a good-quality infrastructure, so that goes a long way towards helping, but every area has its own set of issues and the topography and geography, and all those natural factors become influences as well, so it's a combination really.'
* Unlike other councils, Auckland Council's data did not include sanitary inspections of sites (SACs). The data referred to is its microbial assessment categories (MACs).