Writing in his column in the Waikato District Council’s newsletter, ‘The Link’, about the importance of the environment, Waikato District Mayor, Allan Sanson says , “The last thing this council wants is to put homeowners out of their properties.”
One of the greatest challenges of our time is to preserve the natural wealth we have in our environment while advancing economic development to improve our way of life.
On the face of it, the Waikato district presents a picturesque environment where traffic congestion and urban sprawl are part of our vocabulary. However, the effects of industry, pollution from farming and population on the environment exist and can be sight unseen until we have issues,
Managing these issues before the damage is done is an ideal concept where cause and effect are controlled. Under the District Plan we have a framework for the sustainable management of natural and physical resources which enables us to manage the effects of land use on the environment. But there are factors out of our control that we can’t plan for – faulty infrastructure and human behaviour all contribute at various levels. As your Council we are responsible for some of the more unglamorous aspects of the district. We take care of refuse and recycling, wastewater and storm water generated by urban living and development. This includes the development of effective systems to remove waste we generate by simply living here.
A project to upgrade the properties in Raglan’s Whaanga Coast area from septic tank systems to connection to the town’s wastewater treatment plant is a contentious issue. On one hand we all want to protect the coast from the leaching waste from failing septic systems On the other, the user pays issue is a hard pill to swallow for homeowners who are potentially faced with contributing to the upgrade.
The last thing this council wants is to put homeowners out of their properties. We’re working to find a solution to resolve the problem. Part of this solution is a cleaner environment where waste is managed and treated effectively.
Meeting the challenges environmental issues present requires strong leadership from local and regional authorities. The input of industry, community organisations and individuals also matters. We have been assigned a responsibility to this district and it is a shared one.
Allan Sanson
Waikato District Mayor