Hauraki District Council signed the Waikato Water Done Well Heads of Agreement at its December 18 meeting, which will enable the council to investigate a regional approach to managing water with other Waikato councils.
The non-binding agreement is part of the council’s move to meet the requirements of the new Local Water Done Well legislation, which will regulate the delivery of drinking water, stormwater and wastewater across the country.
“We have the option of going it alone and continuing as we are, with an enhanced business unit to comply with expected regulations, or work in collaboration with our Waikato and neighbouring councils to get the benefits of scale; quality standards and resilience,” Hauraki Mayor Toby Adams said.
The council is also conducting feasibility studies into other water management possibilities, including keeping the status quo, or forming a sub-regional council controlled organisation with the Thames-Coromandel and/or Matamata-Piako district councils.
All options will be presented to the council in February, and put out for public consultation by the end of March. The council is required to finalise its water services delivery model by September, 2025.
Meanwhile, council also approved a proposed plan to rezone several areas in Waihī to provide for future growth in the town.
Under the changes, around 11 hectares of land along Ford Rd would be rezoned from rural to industrial, around 6000 square metres on Thorn Rd would be rezoned from rural to residential, and approximately 10.3 hectares of land on Bradford St would be rezoned from low density residential to residential.
The plan also proposed amendments to the Bradford St extension to allow for increased density of development, although its zoning would not change.
The changes allow for a potential roundabout on the corner of State Highway 2 and Waihī Beach Rd, to accommodate increased traffic through the new industrial zone.
The estimated cost to the council for the roundabout would be $6 million, although the report tabled at the meeting noted there would only be a need for it if traffic increased significantly.
The council has been working on the proposed changes for five years, councillor Ray Broad said.
The report said there had been significant opposition to the Ford Rd rezoning proposal from neighbouring landowners, who have stated they will oppose council “all the way”.
The proposed plan will go out to the public for consultation in early 2025.
