North Canterbury News: December 07, 2023

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North Canterbury News, December 7, 2023
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No plans for fluoride
By DAVID HILL,
Local Democracy Reporter
Fluoride will not be introduced to North
Canterbury drinking water supplies
anytime soon.
The region’sthree councils have no
plans to introduce fluoride,despite
legislation requiring the fluoridation of
drinkingwater suppliesserving more
than 500 people.
Earlier this month the High Court
issued apreliminary decision ruling
directivesissued to 14 councils by
former Director GeneralofHealth, Sir
Ashley Bloomfield, were unlawful.
The High Court said the directives
containedaproceduralerror, as they
did not give specific consideration to the
Bill of Rights Act.
Sir Ashley had written to councils in
December2021 to confirm fluoridation
of supplies serving more than 500 people
would be required under the Health
(Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Act
2021.
The Waimakariri, Hurunui and
Kaikōura District Councils complied
with arequesttoprovide information on
the costs and timeframesfor introducing
fluoridation at the time.
None of the three North Canterbury
councils have been issued directives.
AKaikōura District Council
spokesperson said fluoridation would
only apply to the Kaikōura urban supply,
as the other schemesserved less than
250 people each.
‘‘We have signalled that this is not
budgetedfor and we would require
capital funding from the Ministry of
Health, as the effect on rates would be
significant.’’
Hurunui District Council chief
executive Hamish Dobbie said the
council had not discussedthe issue nor
formed aview on fluoridation.
Waimakariri District Council utilities
and roading general manager Gerard
Cleary said the council received the
occasional enquiry about fluoridation,
but it did not appear to be abig issue for
residents.
‘‘It does get raised occasionally and
often people get confused between
fluoride and chlorine.
‘‘We have done some work to
understand how much it would cost and
we have provided that information to the
Ministry of Health, but we haven’t had
any instructions.
‘‘If we did get an instruction to do it,
we would have aconversation with the
community.’’
In the meantime, the council is
pressing ahead with plans to introduce
ultra violet treatment of its water
supplies, in line with the New Zealand
Drinking Water Standards.
The council was also chlorinating all
of its water supplies in line with
instructions from water regulator
Taumata Arowai.
Last month Taumata Arowai declined
the first of six applications from the
council for exemptions from
chlorinating the district’s six urban
water supplies.
Mr Cleary said the council was
continuing to work with the regulator ‘‘to
determine apath forward where our
drinking water can be chlorine­free’’.
Public interest journalism funded
through New Zealand on Air.
Hot pools site could expand
By DAVID HILL,
Local Democracy Reporter
Aproposed hot pools site on the Kaikōura
waterfront could be set for expansion.
The Kaikōura District Council has
agreed to publicly notify arequest from
Kaikōura Springs Ltd to expand its
proposed hot pools site on the Esplanade
to 3000 square metres.
Alease was granted to Kaikōura Springs
Ltd last year to occupy 2400 square metres
of reserve land, while it developed a
proposal for ahot pools, spa and wellness
centre on the site of the former Kaikōura
Lions Community Pool, whichwas
destroyed in the 2016 earthquake.
Areport from chief executive Will
Doughty to arecent council meeting says
the company has completed afeasibility
study and developed acultural narrative
with Te Rūnanga oKaikōura, since the
lease was granted.
Kaikōura Springs Ltd had also run an
architectural design competition to
develop aconcept design.
‘‘This work has highlighted an
increasing market confidence and positive
market demand for the development,’’ Mr
Doughty said in the report.
In the proposal some of the original 2400
square metres would be taken back to
include in the council’s link pathway.
An additional area of 934 square metres
would be added to the project site to
extend it to 3000 square metres.
The report says community facilities,
including atoilet and shower block,
playground and barbecue area, would
need to be relocated at the developer’s
expense.
Public consultation will be open from
December 1toJanuary 22, before the
council makes afinal decision.
Amber Haustein
Administration
Mark Glanville
FDNZ cert, Reg. FD (FDANZ)
Lacation Manager,
Funeral Director
Christine Staines
Funeral Director