Waikato River Authority wants inquiry into Auckland's water infrastructure

Monday, 29 June 2020

Auckland Council wants a longstanding bid for water from Waikato River to be heard under fast-track Covid legislation, but Waikato groups don't approve. All parties had their say to the Environment Committee in June.

The Waikato River Authority is calling for a government inquiry into Auckland's water infrastructure, saying the river is suffering for it.

And minister Shane Jones has criticised Watercare's management as 'elusive', suggesting a government-appointed watchdog for the CCO.

Leaders from the river authority, a crown-iwi organisation, sent a letter to Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta on Monday morning, saying a 'failure of leadership and forward planning' led to Auckland's water crisis, rather than drought alone.

'It is not sustainable for more and more water to be going out of the Waikato catchment,' co-chair Roger Pikia said in a statement.

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'This is not a Waikato versus Auckland issue, this is a Waikato River issue.'

Pikia said Auckland took 17 per cent of its water needs from the Waikato River in 2019, and is currently taking an estimated 40 per cent.

Shane Jones called Watercare board chair Margaret Devlin 'elusive', raising the possibility of a Crown Monitor for the organisation.

Authority crown appointee Dylan Tahau didn't understand how Auckland’s water infrastructure hadn't kept up with growth.

“We’re calling for an independent inquiry to help that understanding because the Waikato River now appears to be central to Auckland’s future water needs.”

In Auckland's drought, water storage lakes are sitting at about 47.1 per cent full, compared with normal levels of 78 per cent. Forecasts predict a drier than normal spring.

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff recently lodged a 2013 application - to take an extra 200 million litres of water from the river per day - through a select committee process for urgent Covid-19 recovery legislation.

River authority leaders have been highly critical of the bid, stating it was 'running rough-shod' over the river.

Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones said he wants uncertainty over Auckland water to end.

Regional council chair Russ Rimmington has said Auckland want to take 80 per cent of the river's allocation, leaving only 20 per cent for 300 other applicants.

Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones criticised Watercare's management, though he wasn't aware of calls for an inquiry.

'I'm astounded at how elusive the Watercare chair [Margaret Devlin] has been.

'I think it doesn't bode well for the future of Watercare unless they stand up and really explain how we've got into this situation, but more importantly what additional plans Watercare has beyond relying on the water flow of the Waikato River.'

Raveen Jaduram, the CEO of Watercare, said rain was the problem, not infrastructure.

Watercare did not respond to Jones' comment.

Jones said he would be speaking to the NZ First caucus about whether Watercare needed a Crown Monitor appointed to the board to oversee meetings.

'Something has gone seriously amiss at the highest governance levels where you've got the mayor in open conflict with the chair.'

But Jones told Stuff 'endless huis' about Auckland's water needed to stop.

'The issue at stake is how long is it tolerable for our largest city to wait for a hearing to take place to address a vulnerability confronting a third of our population.

'15 billion litres spilling over the mouth of the Waikato River each day I would have thought taking another 1 per cent is not going to have fatal ecological consequences.'

NZ First wants Auckland's application for more water to be heard, and Jones believes that will be discussed in parliament later this week.

Watercare's chief executive Raveen Jaduram did not comment on calls for an inquiry, saying severe drought was the problem.

'Our infrastructure is there but the raw product - rain - is in short supply.

'Every year, we invest hundreds of millions of dollars expanding our infrastructure to stay ahead of population growth.'

Watercare currently has a seasonal consent of 100 million litres per day and a winter consent (25MLD) for more Waikato River water, enabling more infrastructure to be built, Jaduram said.

'Auckland is experiencing water restrictions for the first time since 1994. This shows the city has a drought-resilient infrastructure.'

A spokesperson for Minister Nanaia Mahuta said she couldn't comment on an inquiry until the outcome of the Environment Select Committee process, due later this week.

Auckland council are currently undertaking an independent review of Watercare's policies.

A summit on water will be held in Hamilton on Wednesday, involving Auckland Council and Watercare, Waikato-Tainui and the River Authority,Waikato Regional Council and Environment Minister David Parker.