A WANAKA man is threatening to take legal action against the Queenstown Lakes District Council or refuse to pay 10% of his rates bill because he is fed up with algae clogging his water supply.
Ross Laidlaw says his threat is not an idle one, even though he has been told in writing by council chief executive Debra Lawson that refusal to pay rates could result in enforcement action.
The complaint to the council was confirmed by Mr Laidlaw when he was approached by the Otago Daily Times.
Mr Laidlaw said he believed the council was not doing enough to solve an ongoing problem with algae getting into drinking water intakes and clogging filters.
He is planning to seek a court judgement that the council is in breach of its statutory duty to provide an adequate water supply, if he could find other affected ratepayers willing to help share the costs.
His other option was to withhold about $939 from his rates bill, representing his water rates.
"If I were confident they were promptly exploring all available options, properly costing them and having an open mind as to the reallocation of available funding, I'm prepared to be a little patient.
You can quote me as `Mr Grumpy of Beacon Point'," Mr Laidlaw said.
Mr Laidlaw says he has to clean his filters every 48-60 hours, otherwise water pressure in his house is reduced by about 50%, causing problems with his washing machine and shower.
His irrigation line filters have to be cleaned every 72 hours, otherwise there is not enough water pressure to supply his pop-up sprayers in his lawn.
Mrs Lawson said in a statement she appreciated cleaning filters was an inconvenience to ratepayers, but she asked that Mr Laidlaw accept that the council's position is that consumers should manage the algae rather than seeking judgements or withholding rates.
Mr Laidlaw said he did not accept consumers should manage the algae.
He has found an ally in Wanaka Community Board member Dick Kane, who has worked on algae issues for several years as a council utilities committee member.
Mr Kane said he could continue to fight for a solution despite being removed from the committee by the newly elected council last month.
Mr Kane said he and Wanaka Residents Association chairman Graham Dickson felt the council could be doing a lot more to prevent the algae from clogging filters and should consider sinking bores.
Wanaka's drinking water is supplied by three intakes drawing water from the lake, and the council is considering extending two of them into deeper water.
However, Mr Kane says the council should investigate two potential bore sites, one near the lake intake at Beacon Point and the other behind the showgrounds and camping ground area near Pembroke Park.
Extending the intake pipes would be a "waste of time", Mr Kane said.
Funding could be diverted from other accounts to solve the problem, if the council had the will, he said.
"If this was a Queenstown problem, it would be fixed," Mr Kane said.
