TDC Me

Your Say

Together we can achieve more

  • Home
  • Inclusive Council
  • Environment
  • Water
  • Housing
  • Business
  • Transport
  • Dam
  • Contact
  • About
    • Testimonials

Waste Of Dam Money

11/08/2016

water crisis or dam picture

TDC Dam On The Agenda

But what is the agenda that TDC has with the dam?

With over-allocated water rights and increasing pressure on water resources from all sources, something will have to be done. Short of reducing water rights and implementing a rationing regime, there appears to be little option other than to create another supply.

No one wants to see a lack of water creating an economic bottleneck in the region. Nor does anyone want to face repeated water rationing becoming the norm in increasing duration. However, when it comes to paying for a dam we do not want burden ourselves with a debt that will soak up rates faster than el Nino on steroids.

So who pays for the dam?

The Government will chip in something (if we proceed during the right part of the election cycle). Then there are the commercial users such as forestry (because their trees are draining large areas of river catchment) and the lowland farmers, horticulturists, and gardeners.  Then, of course, there are the general ratepayers who like to swim in the river and fish in it (are there any fish left?).

Based on the current model of building a dam to let water run down the river in the hope it raises the aquifer levels that is the sole source of funding available. Just looking at those benefits it is hard to see how they can justify general Joe public facing much of a rate increase. Good luck to the commercial users surviving their fair share of the construction costs!

The currently proposed model will also do nothing to alleviate the shortfall of water that urban dwellers are facing each dry summer.  Anyone who has seen the rate of subdivision and construction growth around the Tasman area wouldn’t have to be a rocket scientist to speculate that our water crisis is not going away anytime soon.

Given these facts, it would seem short-sighted to invest the kind of money required to build a dam to flush water down the river without any consideration as to how we are going to meet the increasing demand for residential supply.  Explain that decision to future generations with no water, paying off the debt for the dam we built.

Another way to reduce the cost to individuals is to find more commercial end users. We do not even need to sell more water to do this. We can sell by-products such as electricity. I understand that council looked into working with electricity companies and none were interested. I would be interested in learning how many were approached and what deal was offered to them. Was a deal pitched to local industries? Was Mr Talley, turned down for consent to build a hydro-dam recently, not interested? Have we considered off-shore interests?

Suppose it was not viable to build a full-scale hydro-electric dam, were other alternatives given adequate consideration?

Portland municipal, for example, has teamed up with Lucid Energy to recoup some of their water supply expenditure.

I am sure our TDC monthly power bill could do with an energy injection.

Surely at the very least any TDC builds should have an outlet put in for future piping of the water should we need it, and in the meantime that outlet could be spinning some turbines while it lets water run down the riverbed.

What do you think?

Filed Under: Projects, Spending, Your Say Tagged With: dam, electricity, tdc, water

Introducing Dean

Dean McNamara Husband, father, and a fourth generation local from rural Tasman. Now acting as your voice on the Tasman District Council (TDC). More about me.

Email Newsletter

Sign up to be informed of important news and upcoming events

Make your voice count

Testimonials

Fantastic Speech

It was great to have your involvement in the dawn blessing of the Mapua Sculpture at the beginning of March. Thank you for the fantastic speech which encapsulated the essence of what the Sculpture Project is all about.

Janet Taylor
Ruby Coast Initiative Trust

You Rock

[Thankyou] for standing up for democracy & the people you represent. In the words of a younger generation “You Rock”!

Beth McCarthy
Takaka
Read more testimonials
  • Testimonial Submission Form

Councillor McNamara: As Reported In The News

  • Latest News
    • Yet Another Unbudgeted Spend
    • Dam Tax Bites Little Guys
    • Freedom Camping Waste
    • No Support For Dam Report
    • Developing Within Boxes
    • Grandstand Funding Folly
    • Population Projections
    • Recycling Lunacy
    • Another Dam Blow Out
    • Councillors Not Qualified Directors
    • Mapua Boat Ramp
    • Pokies Sinking Lid Policy
    • No More Mayoral Casting Vote
    • Votes By Ward
    • Returning as Councillor
  • News From Last Term
    • Signing Off
    • Waste (of) money
    • Port Tarakohe
    • Free Charging Not Free
    • Re Election Candidates
    • NZTA Priorities
    • Mapua Upgrade Begins
    • Another vote Uturn
    • Traffic Woes Government Nos
    • Consult Fairy Tales
    • Capital Stop-Works
    • Kempthorne Quits
    • 20 million not a significant change
    • Over paid Councillor
    • Dam Train Wreck
    • Death Vote For Dam
    • Dam Scarce Water
    • Barbershop Gossip
    • Dam budget blowout
    • Dam Secrets
    • Wakefield Water Supply
    • Kempthorne Casting Votes
    • Mapua Gateway Sculpture
    • Mayor Spends Up Again
    • Mayor has a talk
    • Alleged Propaganda
    • Dam Affodability Questioned
    • Dam Funding Questions
    • Dam Questions
    • Storm Water Priorities
    • Knitting up a storm
    • Old guard take on new committee roles at Tasman District Council

Archives

Share the joy

  • 18
    Shares

Why Vote McNamara?

I am MOTIVATED.
I have business EXPERIENCE.
I am fiscally FRUGAL (some say tight!).
I am a born and bred LOCAL - here to stay
I am CONTACTABLE - reach me through this website.
I know together WE CAN DO BETTER.

Tags

budget casting vote clean image coastline cost of the dam council council disconnect dam dam overruns Dean McNamara Debt Dr Mike Joy Easter Trading electricity flooding free parking goldenbay grandstand impropriety inconsistencies irrigators Mapua shed4 over spend parking parking tickets performance permits Pigeon Valley Fire rates Richmond rules spending stormwater Tasman Tasman District Council Tasman estuary tdc TDC propaganda vote Waimea Community Dam Waimea dam waimea irrigators water wetlands your vote

Copyright © 2021 · TDCME.nz · Powered by Nz Marketing Systems · Log in

This website is authorized by Dean McNamara 22a Edward Street Wakefield