The Water Conundrum: Auckland’s Mixed Messages on Sustainability

💧 The Water Conundrum: Auckland’s Mixed Messages on Sustainability 💧

🤔 Auckland’s approach to water management is a paradox

▪️ Healthy Waters believes developments with on-site stormwater management systems should be exempt from stormwater development contributions.

▪️ Yet Auckland Council Development Contributions team continues to charge these substantial fees (at ANY COST). Developers do all they can to avoid them because Council is ‘double-dipping’. This is NOT allowed under the Local Government Act s200. Precedent also shows that a ‘SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTION’ in demand is 50%.

▪️Council’s own people acknowledged and accepted that a 50% reduction is substantial (see Ryman v Auckland Council 2018 para. 85 Panteli and Parkinson).

▪️ I’m installing detention tanks that will also capture stormwater and rainwater for household use (grey water), reducing residents’ water consumption and Watercare bills.

This raises important questions for our future:

📊 If residents use less water, must Watercare increase fees to maintain revenue?

📊 Should we be punishing mandated sustainability?

📊 Should we incentivise sustainability?

🏙️ What happens if sustainable practices become widespread?

🌱 Can Auckland truly become a water-sensitive city while maintaining current funding structures?

🔍 How do we align financial incentives with long-term sustainability goals?

Is our current system truly encouraging the environmental stewardship we need for Auckland’s future?