Locals discuss Benhar sewerage

Bryan Cadogan
Bryan Cadogan
About 25 Benhar residents attended the meeting at the Balclutha War Memorial Hall last night to discuss the Benhar sewerage proposal and to create a community committee.

Benhar resident Ray Gouman said although he was not on the scheme at the moment, he wanted to know what was going on and how this might affect him and others in a similar situation.

He and five other Benhar residents - Phil Barrett, Christine Wharehinga, Glennis Abel, Judith Waters and Paul Semple - were elected to the community committee. Councillor Bruce Graham will represent the council on the committee.

Christine Wharehinga said the meeting went as she expected.

"I'm glad to be on the committee. As a community we will get there."

The council's preferred funding option would have each Benhar ratepayer pay an annual sewerage rate of $992 (previously $1714) and each Tokoiti ratepayer $1018 (previously $1780). Balclutha's annual sewerage rate would rise $27 (previously $15), Milton's by $9 (previously $2 drop) and other townships by about $11. This option sets a cap on the capital rate for Benhar and Tokoiti ratepayers, sharing the remaining capital costs over all properties paying a sewerage rate.

Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan said the wider district was "quite accepting" of the funding option after meetings in Balclutha, Milton, Tapanui, Lawrence, and Owaka.

However, he warned that the current funding options were not "locked and loaded" and would undergo community consultation.

By the end of this month the Clutha District Council expected to have agreed to evaluate a proposal from some Benhar residents - namely a sewage pond in Benhar as opposed to the council's plan to pump sewage to Balclutha, with an evaluation of both systems completed by the end of August.

Rules around eligibility for rates postponements would also have to be developed.

The figures provided were estimates relying on the costs provided for the council's preferred reticulation schemes in the townships - $825,000 for Benhar and $575,000 for Tokoiti.

A total 27 submissions on the Benhar sewerage proposal were made to the council's annual plan earlier this year.

A similar meeting to discuss Tokoiti's sewerage proposal will be held in Tokoiti tonight at 7.30pm.

helena.dereus@odt.co.nz

 

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