My Account
Watercare concerns
Jasper and Catarina Militia, Gulf Harbour (abridged)
We read in Hibiscus Matters February 19 the title ‘Watercare says What Water Shortage?’. First thought that came to mind was Marie Antoinette and “let them eat cake” – Watercare seems to have the same lack of understanding. If they are at 71 percent capacity, why have tank people been restricted on the amount of water they can access? Filling stations shut or restricted water flow is making life for people downright hard. While people have to endure water hardships worthy of a third world country, people on mains water can water gardens, grass and, until recently, enjoy limitless guilt free showers. Why is that? Most other places have been told to be careful with summer water due to the long dry. Here on the Coast, and beyond, people are pitching in to help their neighbours doing it tough with the water shortage and I am sure that if Aucklanders had been informed to reduce their water usage they would do so, and yet they were not. Why the restrictions for tank users? We are fully conversant with keeping water usage to a minimum. We are assets for Auckland in that we harvest rainwater, causing less of a drain on the water supply, so when we need to buy water you know we really need it. When someone has to leave their home due to lack of water we really need to know what is going on. Is Watercare not a public servant organisation?
A Watercare spokesperson responds: Our region is experiencing an exceptionally dry start to the year. Since January 1, we have given significant support to people with rain tanks by providing 200 million litres of water through our water tanker filling stations – which have largely been available 24/7. Our company has also worked very closely with council to both encourage and support their contingency water initiatives. The need to reduce the flow rate or operating hours at filling stations from time-to-time is to ensure our connected customers and the fire service, who our business is legally required to serve, receive a reliable service. It is not as simple as having enough water stored in our dams: we have to treat the water, distribute it through the network, and store it locally. This requires a careful balancing act. Just as we plan for the future, people with rain tanks need to plan ahead by considering the capacity of their tanks relative to their household size and habits – given the frequency of droughts is increasing. Many households could also consider connecting to our water network, where it is available.
Uninspiring courtyard
Marianne Sinclair, Arkles Bay
Some years ago now – it could have been 2016 or 17 – I went to a meeting at the Whangaparaoa Library with an overseas expert called Milenko Matanovic. At the time, it seemed an exciting prospect to have a community-led process in which the library’s bland exterior could be transformed into a lively community hub. Among the things people wanted were more trees for shade and fruit, play areas and seating. It also seemed a good idea to have somewhere for youth to hang out – God knows, seeing them even near a library would surely be a good thing? Disappointed doesn’t even begin to express the feeling I get when I see how this project ended up. While it’s obviously clean and tidy, there is no attempt to bring in shade trees and no play area. Instead we get a shade sail and a new set of bleachers. It was never truly community led and the result is more hard surfaces, and little else.
In golfers’ hands
Cheryl Anderson, Red Beach
I got an awful feeling of déja vu when I read about how close Whangaparaoa Golf Club came to selling its land to a developer. I live in Red Beach near the former Peninsula Golf Club – a location we chose because we feel strongly about green spaces and trees. It was heartbreaking to see all that go. I wonder how long our community can sustain the two golf clubs that are left. Obviously that’s up to the golfers and I’m afraid, given the Peninsula situation, that doesn’t fill me with confidence.
Poor performing path
Colin Selfe, Red Beach (abridged)
When is a path not a path? When it doesn’t meet the design criteria accepted as standard in New Zealand. One thing that comes with retirement is the time to cogitate, to consider, to counsel, which brings me to the matter originally raised with Auckland Council last May regarding what I call ‘The Serpentine Path’ at Orewa Beach. The path from Orewa Surf Club car park to the children’s play area is not only not fit for purpose, in that it is too narrow and mostly below adjacent ground level – but with displaced and overgrown pavers, it is a health and safety issue. I regularly walk this path, which produces challenges when meeting slower walkers or those travelling toward you. Given that this is a heavily populated recreation area it is surprising that nothing has happened since the development of the Millennial Path alongside Orewa Holiday Park, which has proven the value of investment in sound design and good construction. I include recent photos showing areas of the path now obstructed with sand drifts.
Editor’s note: Hibiscus Matters offered Council the opportunity to respond to this letter, but they were unable to do so by the paper’s deadline.
The introduction of a ‘buddy bench’ at Silverdale School has proved a great success. A buddy bench is a place where students can go to indicate they do not have a friend to play with. This will allow other students to ask them to play. Principal Cameron Lockie says the idea began last year when the students of Room 18 decided to invest in a project to create a Silverdale School Buddy Bench. They sought feedback from Year 2s and came up with multiple designs, which they voted on. The result is the rainbow coloured buddy bench pictured, available for all to use. The bench is being well used, most play and lunchtimes, Cameron says.
