The Star: October 11, 2018
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Deans Ave<br />
4 Thursday <strong>October</strong> <strong>11</strong> <strong>2018</strong><br />
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong><br />
News<br />
City council steps away from Water NZ<br />
• By Julia Evans<br />
THE CITY council has quit<br />
Water New Zealand over<br />
“misaligned” views on the<br />
control of water.<br />
Chief executive Karleen<br />
Edwards has drawn a line in the<br />
sand over Water<br />
NZ’s stance on<br />
chlorination and<br />
water control<br />
by quitting the<br />
organisation.<br />
“As I advised<br />
[chief executive<br />
Karleen<br />
Edwards<br />
John<br />
Pfahlert<br />
John] Pfahlert,<br />
I made the decision<br />
because I<br />
do not feel that<br />
Water NZ’s recent<br />
advocacy is<br />
aligned with the<br />
council’s strategic<br />
direction on<br />
water and our<br />
desire to develop<br />
our own strategies<br />
and policies<br />
to address local<br />
water issues,” Dr Edwards told<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong>.<br />
She said Water NZ’s agenda<br />
does not fit with the city council’s<br />
agenda. So membership had<br />
ended.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> advocacy of Water NZ for<br />
a one-size-fits-all proposal for delivering<br />
and managing water services<br />
is clearly seen as misaligned<br />
with Christchurch City Council’s<br />
direction and aspirations of our<br />
communities.”<br />
Water NZ, the country’s<br />
principal advocate for water, supports<br />
findings from the Havelock<br />
North Water Inquiry, following<br />
the 2016 gastro crisis, which left<br />
four people dead and 5500 ill.<br />
City councillors have been<br />
battling to keep the water free<br />
from chlorine since the Government<br />
began cracking down on<br />
unsecure water sources following<br />
the incident.<br />
But Mr Pfahlert said leaving<br />
Water NZ would not have any<br />
impact on the city council’s bid<br />
to keep control of water.<br />
“It is the Government that will<br />
decide what approach to take in<br />
any reform of the drinking water<br />
sector.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> decision has the backing<br />
of Mayor Lianne Dalziel, who is<br />
“pleased.”<br />
Former Mayor Garry Moore<br />
said the move sends a clear directive<br />
to the Government on plans<br />
to take control of water away<br />
from councils.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> message that this sends<br />
to the Government is that the<br />
second largest city does not think<br />
this is acceptable,” he said.<br />
“I think it’s probably a rediscovery<br />
of the people’s republic<br />
of Christchurch. We don’t want<br />
Water NZ’s way of thinking.”<br />
Dr Edwards said the decision<br />
does not affect city council head<br />
of three waters and waste John<br />
Mackie’s position on the board<br />
of Water NZ. Last month it was<br />
revealed Mr Mackie had filed<br />
a defamation claim against Mr<br />
Moore, seeking $500,000 in damages.<br />
Mr Mackie claims Mr Moore<br />
defamed him by suggesting he<br />
was pushing the interests of Water<br />
NZ’s pro-chlorination stance.<br />
<strong>The</strong> city council’s membership<br />
of Water NZ will end on <strong>October</strong><br />
30.<br />
National MP Gerry Brownlee<br />
said the move is “totally cosmetic”<br />
considering individual<br />
city council staff membership<br />
will continue.<br />
However, he did not want to<br />
see chlorination in the city.<br />
City councillor Vicki Buck said<br />
the city council was opposed to<br />
“practically all” of Water NZ’s<br />
agenda.<br />
“Water NZ now has a clear<br />
agenda of mandatory chlorination,<br />
which we totally reject . . .<br />
that removes local control of our<br />
water and I think people need<br />
that.”<br />
City councillor Deon Swiggs<br />
said the move “put a stake in the<br />
ground” to mark the city council’s<br />
stance on water control.<br />
Christchurch’s water has been<br />
temporarily chlorinated as the<br />
city council moves to improve<br />
infrastructure. Ms Dalziel has<br />
vowed to fight to get an exemption<br />
from blanket chlorination.<br />
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