A plea to help the Tarras Community Trust raise $70,000, as part of the cost for a pre-feasibility study for an alternative water source for the area, fell on deaf ears at the Central Otago District Council yesterday.
Trust secretary John Morrison presented his case for $50,000 worth of funding at the council's district development committee meeting, but councillors only agreed to contribute $5000.
The trust had intended to ask the Otago Regional Council for the money but a misunderstanding about the process and timing meant it was too late.
The Tarras Community Association, which has now been replaced by the new trust, had commissioned a pre-feasibility study which was completed in November.
The results of that study by Aqualinc showed a preferred option was to pump water from the Clutha River.
The cost of the feasibility study for that option is expected to be about $220,000.
Additional costs include the establishment of a legal structure to operate the scheme and the water permit allocation, bringing the total cost to $320,000.
Affected landowners will pay $130,000 towards the total cost and funding has been secured from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry through its Sustainable Farming Fund.
The remaining amount of about $70,000 is being sought from various parties, including the Central Otago District Council.
Cr Gordon Stewart said a water scheme at Tarras would be "a phenomenal benefit to council if it went ahead.
"They may not have any water after 2021. One farmer in the area is dragging water from the Clutha and he is now running excessive numbers of cows through the area on land where previously you would have had just one wether for every two hectares," he said.
"It is appropriate we chip in and take some of the risk here. If they don't proceed, Tarras will go back to the dust bowl again," Cr Stewart said.
However his sentiments were not shared by other councillors, who voted for the staff recommendation that a sum of $5000 be granted.
