Cr Andrew Whiley joined several councillors in praising the way Dunedin City Council staff had handled the situation in the past month, including knocking on doors to advise affected residents not to drink from their tap water and providing an alternative supply.
"But at the bottom of it, it’s the people of Waikouaiti, Karitane and Hawksbury village that have been affected here," Cr Whiley said.
"Personally, I’m sorry they went through this."
Cr Whiley noted emotions evident at a public meeting this month in Waikouaiti.
"And I think the word ‘sorry’ hasn’t been used enough, I’ve hardly heard it — I haven’t heard it once today.
"That, to me, is the most important part — to say we’re sorry this community went through this."
Councillors yesterday reflected on a report by council staff to the infrastructure services committee.
Some councillors, led by Cr Steve Walker, objected to what they called sensationalist media coverage.
The council has emphasised elevated lead readings have been intermittent, rather than constant.
It also carried out the initial testing for metals to check for corrosion of pipes, not because of any requirement in drinking water standards.
Cr Jules Radich said staff had been victims of their own excellence.
A result received by the council in August last year led to more testing being carried out immediately, he said.
Spikes in lead had been surprising and January 2021 samples resulted in swift action, Cr Radich said.
The source of occasional elevated lead levels is not known, but the frequency of testing and range of methods have been boosted.
Council chief executive Sandy Graham said the council might never know why an elevated lead level was picked up at the Waikouaiti raw water reservoir last month.
This result prompted officials to tell residents of the three communities to stop drinking water from their taps, nor use it for cooking, from February 2.
The council has indicated some confidence old sections of pipe could contribute to elevated lead readings. They are being replaced.
Cr Jim O’Malley said people should be prepared for a period of uncertainty, ahead of analysis of residents’ blood test results and while efforts continued to understand the water problem.
He drew attention to the Government’s Water Services Bill and suggested metals in water would now need to be considered more carefully nationally.
He also said Mayor Aaron Hawkins sitting among the crowd initially at the public meeting in Waikouaiti, rather than being part of a panel on stage, was not an abdication of responsibility.
"I asked to be on the stage that day," Cr O’Malley said.
Cr Lee Vandervis sought to clarify whether the council had received clear advice against notifying the public earlier than February 2.
Ms Graham said this would be covered in a review.
Waikouaiti Coast Community Board chairman Alasdair Morrison said the public announcement of a problem was not the council’s finest hour, but everything since had been handled well.
Cr Whiley’s sorrow was not the first piece of apologetic language from the council over the matter.
Mr Hawkins had apologised for repeating a piece of incorrect information.
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Comments
" victims of our own excellence", "swift action" and blaming the media for reflecting real public concerns.... more proof this council is not up to the tasks it was elected on.
The new DCC motto, 'Victimae suae excellentiae nostrae', (victims of our own excellence) to be displayed on all council publications from now on.
The only thing Cr Whiley and Hawkins do swiftly is self-promotion and seizing any opportunity for a photograph. If only they cancelled the South Dunedin library and the six fulltime new staff for climate change as swiftly, we would be better off.