Sewerage Scheme Current Status

Update On the East Rotoiti Rotoma Sewerage Scheme

Its been an incredibly busy time recently. We have focused on achieving the best results for you which has left little time for updates. Some work carries on as we continue to seek the best result for our community. The links and comments which follow should give you a good picture of the current public status of the scheme. If you have any questions please email them to: lrca@rotoiti.co.nz.

Rotorua Daily Post Article on the LTP Decision Meeting

The Final Rotorua District Council Long Term Plan

Answers received to LRCA’s Questions to the Council on Your Behalf Regarding Property Owner Payments

Update sent to Property Owners regarding payment from RLC

Online FAQ Answers for Capital repayment plan for properties connected to East Rotoiti Rotomā scheme

Rotorua Lakes Council adopts Long-Term Plan, sets average 11.4% rates rise

Rotorua Daily Post

27 Jun, 2024 08:02 AM

Of special interest to us were the comments made in support of the plan and our Rotoiti Rotoma sewerage scheme.

Tania Tapsell Comments:

Tapsell acknowledged the “heartfelt” submissions and presentations.

In her view: “It was incredibly challenging to see people from across our district … who were very upset or distressed at affordability issues and their concerns about past mismanagement, increasing costs and a lack of transparency.”

Councillor Lani Kereopa: Comments:

Kereopa said she supported the decision to ask central Government to reallocate $2.5m of Be Better Off funding from the Aquatic Centre to wastewater or core infrastructure work.

“To help support our families who may lose their home as a direct result of the [East Rotoiti - Rotomā sewerage scheme]”.

It was at a cost to children “who deserved hydro slides, and our elderly who deserve warm waters to bathe in”, she said.

Elected members earlier in the month voted unanimously to pour $5.424m more into the scheme to spread a greater share of the cost across all ratepayers, costing them an extra $15.50 a year for 25 years, and reducing the upfront cost for households in the scheme.

“Budget blowouts” around the scheme had horrendous impacts, she said.

“Not only financially, but the stress, anger and feelings of hopelessness and betrayal felt by those communities is unacceptable.”

She said there was a community desire for a “thorough investigation into how mismanagement [of the scheme] could occur” and she supported this.

She supported approving the plan as she believed it would be worse for the communities if she did not.

Council chief executive Andrew Moraes previously said the standard of experience customers received through the sewerage project was “far below what I believe council and council staff would like to provide”.

The reasons why were complex, he said, and not always clearly communicated. Aggravating factors, such as cost, were outside council control, Moraes said.