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Businesses sceptical about residential water meters
With some local government politicians keen to introduce water meters for residential properties, The Petone Herald asks businesses their views on metering. Pak 'n Save Petone owner Leo Sullivan says councils won?t introduce residential meters next year because of elections and is sceptical of the benefits. ?They want to do it because someone else has done it, they say user pays is about conservation, but it?s not,? says Mr Sullivan. Petone businesses used to tap an abundant source of water in the Waiwhetu aquifer, most of which now flows out to sea, he says. Being above the aquifer makes him sceptical of his water bill, but he says businesses should pay for usage. ?It?s fair enough that businesses pay for water, but for households it?s a crazy situation. ?I?m cynical because if they have meters they turn water in to a source of revenue, and who sets the amount you can use? ?It?s the business of the council to make sure everyone gets water.? He says in Auckland water has become an asset sold-off to private companies. ?Auckland just sold it off, and who?s to say what is the price of water in that arrangement?? Fitting houses with a second source of water should be the priority, such as introducing grey-water systems for better efficiency. Meanwhile on Jackson Street Backstage Bar owner Tom McMillan says his first water bill came as a shock. He figured because the area sits above a natural spring the water wouldn?t be so costly. ?It should be equally split with residents, because there is a lot of residential here, they should pay as well. ?There are no vineyards here, and we sit on a massive well ... we have a spring running 24/7 into the harbour ? the costs seem odd really,? says Mr McMillan. Although he accepts the cost, his water bill is ?a little steep? for the amount of water used at the bar. Trevor Edmonds owns the Challenge petrol station in Johnsonville and is charged twice for water usage. The first charge is for the contractor who reads the meter and the other is for the amount of water used. ?We had the meter put in and now they can put the price up whenever they feel like it. ?The last bill has increased to an enormous amount,? says Mr Edmonds, a Tawa resident. He says rates have doubled in the last two months to $1.70. ?They sting you twice for it, it was $7 for the chap to come out [and read the meter] and now its $15. ?They have a licence to make money ? I would make the same argument about home meters.? Porirua Club manager Kevin Gray says they are billed $500 every six months for water and the charge is fair for a business that uses a lot of water. ?I have no objections; we have a lot of toilets, ice machine, drinks. ?You spend on what you need, and that is part of the business,? Mr Gray says. He would have no objection to water meters on residential homes if rates were set to accommodate the new charges.
