Latest news with #CentralOtagoDistrictCouncil
Otago Daily Times
19 hours ago
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Something in the water makes Maniototo a caring place
We live in a caring place in Maniototo and no-one is more caring than the Central Otago District Council. Sure, the rates have increased by 47.95% over the past three years, more than any other Otago or Southland local body, but look what the council is prepared to spend on our welfare. One option was to spend $15 million to upgrade Patearoa's water supply but with only about 40 ratepayers in the township kindness had to be tempered with some sort of fiscal responsibility so, in the end, there's a scheme costing about $1.7m. Still not a bad return for the locals and probably more than they've paid in rates in spite of that 47.95% rise. Patearoa's water comes from the gentle Sowburn which meanders through the settlement, but its clear waters are deceiving, the council tells us. They could suffer from high turbidity, and you don't need me to tell you that turbidity is cloudiness caused by suspended particles of silt, clay and organic matter, particularly after heavy rainfall. Thus, while heavy rainfall is almost unknown in Patearoa, we're under instructions to boil water for the next few months while the new scheme is installed. But the caring council don't just give orders, it explains why. The full story came in a letter from the council. Now, my letters from the CODC usually touch on unpaid rates, the urgent need to register the dog or a plea to return library books, so I opened this one with trepidation. What a relief it was to find it was about water. I learned that protozoa in the water was the culprit and that it would soon be filtered out of our water. As you know protozoa are microscopic organisms such as cryptosporidium and giardia, which can enter the water from animal faeces. I didn't show that part of the letter to the dog who, although he never uses the river as a toilet, is sensitive about such slurs. To make sure we are on side with all this, the council pulled no punches in describing the effects of cryptosporidium and giardia. They can cause gastrointestinal illness such as vomiting and diarrhoea. We were warned that babies, young children, pregnant women, the elderly and people who have weakened immune systems are more at risk of illness and that just about covers the entire population of Patearoa, apart from a few young blokes, who although they drink only Speight's or DB, have been known to produce at least one of the symptoms of giardia ingestion. But just scaring the wits out of us is not the role of a caring council. It also provides practical advice and that's essential if boiling water is something you don't do too often. My letter spelt it out: "Boil all water used for: Drinking water, Brushing teeth, Preparing food, Washing fruits and vegetables, Making ice, baby formula, juice and cold beverages." When it comes to cold beverages, I never put water in whisky so that was a relief. Car washing and watering the garden weren't mentioned so we'll have to risk cars vomiting or cabbages with diarrhoea. Most useful of all were the instructions on how to boil water. They went something like this: first find your water and place it in a non-leaking container capable of withstanding high temperatures. Bring water to a rolling boil (where bubbles appear and do not disappear when the water is stirred) for one minute or boil a full electric jug until it switches off. Cool the water (do not use ice cubes to do this) and pour it into a clean container with a lid. Refrigerate until needed. I tried the method, but my first go was not entirely successful as I hadn't twigged that "freeze" and "refrigerate" are not exactly the same thing. To be honest, I was also a bit confused about the "rolling boil" business. But the council came to the rescue for those who can't boil water properly. Just across the road they've parked a tank labelled "drinking water" and its free. The tank is also labelled "Gore District Council". Carting water from Gore to Patearoa for six months will certainly make a hole in that $1.4m but that's the way it is with big jobs. The work itself will provide entertainment in a village where watching other people work is a well-ingrained pastime. Although the treatment equipment is being prefabricated elsewhere, I foresee regular gatherings at the top bridge to watch the filtration and ultraviolet treatment systems being added to the humble shed which is the present "treatment station". While we're looking at these modern marvels, we'll wonder how the gold miners of the 1800s, sweltering in summer heat by the Sowburn, ever lived to their 90s as so many did. I guess they never took water with their whisky either. — Jim Sullivan is a Patearoa writer.
Otago Daily Times
14-07-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Maniototo towns told to boil water until December
A boil water advisory issued for Patearoa and Ranfurly residents will remain in effect until upgrades are completed in December. In a statement this morning, the Central Otago District Council said the precautionary advisory had been issued for residents connected to the Maniototo towns' water supplies, while upgrades were under way for both treatment plants. The council said both towns' water treatment processes used chlorine to remove any risk of bacteria in the water supply, but they did not have a treatment barrier for protozoa - microscopic organisms, such as cryptosporidium and giardia, which can enter the water from animal faeces. If present, protozoa can cause gastrointestinal illness such as vomiting and diarrhoea. Babies, young children, pregnant women, the elderly and people who have weakened immune systems are more at risk of illness. CODC Group Manager - Three Waters Julie Muir said the council had approved the procurement of water treatment plant upgrades in January. The new treatment equipment was being prefabricated off-site and would be relocated when ready for installation. The upgrades were expected to be completed by December. She said the treatment plant upgrades included the addition of filtration and ultraviolet treatment systems. "These will supplement existing treatment processes to deliver safe drinking water that meets New Zealand Drinking Water Standards. "The UV treatment will eliminate protozoa risks and the filtration system will improve the resilience of these supplies and enable them to continue operating in a wider range of weather conditions. 'There has been no change to the water supply on these schemes. However, the continued absence of protozoa barriers presents a risk to public health,' Ms Muir said. 'We understand this advisory will be an inconvenience for residents, and council is committed to providing monthly progress updates to the community on the upgrades. "Taking this step will help protect the health of our communities until the new treatment systems are in place. Boiling water is an effective way to remove the risk of illness caused by protozoa.' Health Information The source water for the Patearoa and Ranfurly schemes comes from the Sowburn and Eweburn rivers. These are surface water sources that may be accessed by animals. If animal faeces enter the water, protozoa may be introduced into the supply, posing a potential health risk. Residents connected to the Patearoa and Ranfurly water supplies must boil all water used for: Drinking water Brushing teeth Preparing food Washing fruits and vegetables Making ice, baby formula, juice and cold beverages How to boil water for drinking: Bring water to a rolling boil (where bubbles appear and do not disappear when the water is stirred) for one minute or boil a full electric jug until it switches off. Cool the water (do not use ice cubes to do this) and pour it into a clean container with a lid. Refrigerate until needed. Residents with well-maintained, high-quality cartridge filters followed by ultraviolet disinfection units that supply their entire house do not need to boil their water.
Otago Daily Times
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
A sad sign of the times
It's a perennial question which becomes even more insistent at this stage of the three-year cycle: Why would anyone want to be a local body councillor? Many who sit back comfortably and let someone else do it undoubtedly have inklings as to why they wouldn't get involved. Thank goodness then for those who are courageous or foolhardy or even egocentric enough to want to have their names out there publicly. Like in all politics, serving as a city, district or regional councillor comes with a heavy price to an individual's privacy and ability to live as a regular citizen. Walking down the street at the weekend, enjoying being part of an anonymous throng and simply running errands, going out for a quiet meal or a few drinks with mates it all becomes nigh-on impossible, particularly in smaller communities. And then that banter from the public on your "day off" turns into something more annoying, complaints from a resident about rates rises or the drains outside their house, money being spent on cycleways or something which isn't even a council but a central government responsibility. Before you know it, that has turned into overt aggression. Angry people in your face, leaving repeated and intimidating messages on your cellphone, even knocking on your front door and threatening violence, because they didn't like the way you voted on something. Some years ago, you might have read about such actions overseas and tutted. Unfortunately, it's here now as well. Back to that question of why someone might want to stand as a councillor. For the status, the kudos? Possible, but unlikely. For the money? Also pretty unlikely. For the chance to make changes for the better for one's community? Most likely. When people engage with such altruistic intentions, it seems even more egregious that their personal safety should be jeopardised. Yet this is what has been increasingly happening around the country in recent years. The South is not immune to such childish, worrisome behaviour. Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan has had angry constituents at his door, while Clutha district Lawrence-Tuapeka ward councillor Jock Martin received a threatening voicemail message calling him the n-word over rates relief for Mâori land. Abusive behaviour has also been directed at a Central Otago District Council representative. Elsewhere, three-term Nelson mayor Rachel Reese was confronted by a man with a nail gun inside her house. Nobody should be subjected to such vitriol. Councillors are not always going to be able to make decisions everybody agrees with. Mr Cadogan says times have changed, and not for the better. When he was elected as a councillor in 1998, he says such behaviour would have been "inconceivable", but now it happens regularly. Local Government New Zealand has now approved a home-security allowance for elected members to offset potential personal harassment. Councillors are entitled to up to $4500 to install a security system with another $1000 for annual maintenance. This is a good idea. It should never have got to this stage, but our councillors deserve to have an extra layer of protection in such angry days. We have to hope that ongoing harassment and intimidation simmers down and does not put people off standing for local councils. New era for science? After many years of discussion and complaint about New Zealand's old and creaking public science sector, and unnecessary competition, much-awaited changes kicked into life this week. Gone are the seven Crown research institutes. Instead, we have a refocused CRI in the form of the Public Health and Forensic Science Institute and two mega-sized public research organisations, Earth Sciences New Zealand and the Bioeconomy Science Institute. The alterations are long overdue, given the CRIs were established in the 1992 science reforms. However, it remains to be seen how much will really change. The New Zealand Association of Scientists warns the new PROs statements of purpose make it clear the three are still commercially oriented, "just bigger". The concern is the two big new entities could end up feeling more like the supermarket duopoly than the solution to the country's research needs. Time will tell.
Otago Daily Times
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- Otago Daily Times
Festival declined licence, hearing set
The Alexandra Blossom Festival in 2024. PHOTO: ODT FILES A hearing will be held next month after the Central Otago licensing committee declined a special license for the Alexandra Blossom Festival. Festival event manager Martin McPherson said he could not comment on why the application was refused as he would have to give evidence at the public hearing on July 11. However, he was confident blossom festival goers would not notice any difference to what was on offer regardless of the hearing's outcome. The debate was around who would hold a liquor license, the festival or vendors, he said. "It's just one of those things. It won't affect the blossom festival. We will still have licensed premises onsite." The public hearing will be at the Central Otago District Council chambers, in Alexandra, on July 11 at 10am. In May, the council extended the festival liquor ban to include the Teviot Valley after a presentation by police. The disorder caused by "car enthusiasts" heading to Alexandra was the reason for the extension. It was not related to behaviour at the the blossom festival site in the town.
Otago Daily Times
02-07-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Blossom Festival liquor licence declined
The Central Otago licensing committee has declined the Alexandra Blossom Festival a special liquor license and set down a hearing for July 11. Festival event manager Martin McPherson said the move is to help the licensing committee decide who should hold the liquor license — the festival trust committee or the vendors— not to ban alcohol at the festival. Mr McPherson could not comment on why the application was refused as he would have to give evidence at the public hearing. He was confident festival-goers would notice no difference regardless of the outcome. "It's just one of those things. It won't affect the blossom festival. We will still have licenced premises on-site." The public hearing will be at the Central Otago District Council chambers, in Alexandra, at 10am. In May, the council extended the festival liquor ban to include the Teviot Valley. The disorder caused by "car enthusiasts" heading to Alexandra was the reason for the extension, not behaviour at the festival site.
