By Richard Brister, 2024 Hamilton East Ward By-election Candidate 

Straight after the Hamilton by-elections and informing Hamilton residents of unprecedented rates increases, Hamilton City Council is now looking at implementing water meters, yet again.

The question is why?

In the Waikato Times it is stated that it is because of the “failed Three Waters proposals”. That Waikato Times article reported the following quotes from Hamilton City Council officials:

Long-term Program Manager James Clark on the topic of water infrastructure, “the funding model is broken and we need different solutions”.

Councillor Ewan Wilson on the topic of reducing water use, “the data is clear, water meters give you that”.

General Manager for Strategy, Growth, and Planning Blair Bowcott on the topic of funding water infrastructure with rates increases, “Waters investment is so big we need to create large cash surpluses. That’s what’s ultimately driving the rates increases,”

Deputy Mayor Angela O’Leary on the topic of waiting for Central Government direction, “We spent six years doing that and we got nowhere.” “I’m not prepared to do that again. We need to determine the fate of water for our residents. Can we afford it and, if we can’t, how do we afford it”.

Mayor Paula Southgate on the topics of unpopular rates increases and these being a result of underinvestment in water infrastructure in the past, “nobody is going to like this, 15%, 15% [rate hikes] going on forever”, “and now the hens are coming home to roost”.

The Waikato Times also reported that Council staff estimated the cost “to roll out water meters across Hamilton” at $53 million, and that “Hamilton’s water leakage stood at 14%” with “a high level of uncertainty around that figure”.

Now let’s look at some facts:

For comparison I’ll use Italy as an example as it is closest in size to New Zealand and is a well-developed country.

New Zealand is ranked #24 for fresh water supply. It has 327 billion, (m³) of water.

New Zealand has a population of 5,228,000 and is ranked at #123

We have (approx. 55% more available freshwater than Italy) on average we use 227 litres a day per person.

Italy is ranked #39 for fresh water supply. It has 182.5 billion, (m³) of water.

Italy has a population of 58,871,000 and is ranked #25 (approx.1126% greater population than NZ) and on average uses 220 litres a day per person.

One of the most important jobs that any city council has, is to supply fresh, safe potable water and adequate water storage for peak demand. Council also needs to maintain a wastewater treatment system for used water, and maintain a stormwater system to prevent flooding.

Previous councils have underfunded our water infrastructure. Our current Council has further continued to underfund water infrastructure, banking on Three Waters to take it off their hands. All while continuing to spend on non-essential projects with money from rates, other income and borrowing being used.

We have a high level of uncertainty of water leakage estimated to be approx. 14% from infrastructure leakage.

Ewan Wilson has said that when it comes to reducing water use, “the data is clear, water meters give you that”.

It was said that water meters would cost $53 million to install.

Blair Bowcott, said the demands of water funding, and requirements to balance Council books, were behind the mooted rate hikes.

 “Waters investment is so big we need to create large cash surpluses. That’s what’s ultimately driving the rates increases,” he said.

Waikato Times, Water meters back on the cards for Hamilton, continued rate hikes mooted in ‘worst news for ratepayers’ Benn Bathgate, February 8, 2024

When taking these statements from the Waikato Times into account, it is clear that Hamilton City Council is trying to further defer infrastructure spending, by making the residents use less water, enabling current infrastructure to last longer. All whilst requiring a cash surplus, likely because of poor past and current fiscal management.

This will now require rate payers to fund the continued overspending on non-essential projects whilst being threatened with the cutting of core infrastructure spending.

My feeling is that if we are going to spend a minimum $53 million on water meters, that the money would be much better spent on fixing the known water leaks in our infrastructure, this would give us guaranteed water savings and leave our infrastructure in a better overall condition than it is currently whilst not punishing Hamilton residents with water meters and huge increases in costs because of Hamilton City Councils poor past and current fiscal choices.

Do not forget that there will be ongoing operational costs with water meters such as a new operating system to collect and distribute water, administration, data use and billing, plus staffing costs. Hamilton City Council already has an enormous debt, the interest is now being paid on that debt with more borrowings. 

“The largest single contributor to the unfavourable deficit is ($19.9m) interest costs due to higher interest rates. This is partially offset by an additional $9.2m of interest revenue onterm investments held.”

Hamilton City Council, Finance and Monitoring Committee Agenda 29 February 2024, Page 54.

I asked some people I know in Auckland if water meters had made a difference to how much water they use? The answer I got back was “you need what you need” the answer was no it didn’t affect their consumption.

Hamilton, isn’t it time our Council started to work for us, concentrating on its Core Services again? Start with a strong focus on Hamilton becoming debt free, paying down the principle on the $1 billion+ debt that Hamilton City Council is moving rapidly towards.  Be capable of maintaining core infrastructure and the maintenance of other services, already gardening, lawn mowing, weed spraying, tree maintenance and curb sweeping have been reduced or are not being done at all.

We cannot afford our Council to continue to make poor fiscal decisions and to defer real and necessary infrastructure/maintenance spending needs that will eventually need to be addressed sometime in the future at an even higher cost than it is now?

With a much lower Population than Italy and greater freshwater reserves, do we even have a water crisis?

National Party’s Ryan Hamilton, Tama Potaka and Simeon Brown have said that National are working on the implementation of the, “Waters Done Well” plan in the coming weeks with the Waikato Times reporting “a lifeline may be on offer”.

At the end of the day, we need a Council that is going to take proper care of our core infrastructure, both in the present and in planning for Hamilton’s future.

Hamilton deserves a Council and Councillors that are going to put Hamilton’s core services as their top priority always.  A Council that can stay focused on the needs and put a stop to the nice to have/vanity projects. A Council that listens to Hamilton residents and acts on their behalf in good faith, with genuine clarity. One that can operate in a fiscally responsible manner, staying within its rates revenue budget and making responsible, logical, common-sense decisions.

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