Waitakere City has 180,000 people, in a region of 1.2 million. All of them need water and wastewater facilities
- most them have them provided by the Council. Most of the city needs stormwater management and everyone needs a solid waste (refuse) service, public toilets and cemeteries.
This population is going to double in 50 years. Indeed the population of the Auckland region will increase by 20,000 people every year. This makes the challenge of providing these services a regional challenge and if we are to meet it successfully, we must have a regional response. The bottom line is that the cost of these services is going to rise in the foreseeable future.
The public demand better standards and services than they did 50 years ago.
Meanwhile, regulatory authorities also now demand much higher health and
environmental standards than in the past. That is what WASSA - the Water and Sanitary Services Assessment, is about. It is a council/community review of how we provide these services and explores options for doing them more sustainably.
The Water and Sanitary Services Assessment was publicly notified and submission
closed on 27 May 2005. The following recommendations were adopted:
A summary of the key accepted proposals is provided below:
Water Supply
Reduce domestic water usage per person by 25% by 2025.
Wastewater
A 50% reduction in wastewater overflows by 2025.
Consideration of targeted rates or wastewater charges based on 80%
of water use.
Providing a yearly inspection certificate for rural properties with septic tanks, at an estimated annual cost of $50.
Stormwater
Reduce flooding and improve the quality of streams, lakes and harbours.
Solid Waste
Progress Council's Zero Waste strategy by 2015.
Cemeteries
Provide a new cemetery or extend Waikumete Cemetery by 2021.
Public
Toilets
Complete the current 5 year programme and thereafter facilitate the provision of new public toilets.
Assessment of Water and Sanitary Services Documentation
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Introduction (Size
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Introduction to the Draft Assessment of Water & Sanitary Services
