The Otematata Golf Club has been given time to investigate an alternative water supply before it has to start paying the Waitaki District Council a massive increase in water charges.
The council proposes charging the club for the water it uses from the town's water supply for the clubhouse and irrigating the tees, fairways and greens, rather than setting an annual fee.
The club paid an annual uniform charge of $295 in 2007-08 for water and $304 in 2008-09.
If it paid for consumption, it would have been billed $21,059 in 2007-08 and $17,524 in 2008-09.
That equated to an additional $142 a year for each of the club's 140 members.
Full members pay a $150 membership fee.
The Ahuriri Community Board, at its meeting on Tuesday night, unanimously decided to support a phased introduction of the consumption charge.
"It will give the club time to investigate how much water it needs [for irrigation], where it can come from and resource consents," board member Graham Sullivan said.
The club supported that approach.
