Rise in water bills

[MotherBear]

Hurray for rainwater tanks. Free water (apart from the cost of new filters etc.)

Mayor votes to exclude public from water price debate
1:05PM Wednesday May 23, 2007
By Bernard Orsman


The council has always discussed pricing issues behind closed doors. Photo / Martin Sykes

Auckland City Mayor Dick Hubbard voted this morning to exclude the public from a meeting that will decide whether to proceed with a 9.1 per cent rise in water bills.

Mr Hubbard and six councillors voted down an amendment from Green Party councillor Neil Abel to hold the debate in public. He was supported by City Vision councillor Glenda Fryer.

Mr Abel said the issue should be debated publicly because it affected every ratepayer.

The council has always discussed pricing issues behind closed doors.

More here .

[MotherBear]

Aucklanders face 8 years of water bill rises
Page 1 of 2 5:00AM Thursday May 24, 2007
By Bernard Orsman

Water bills are set to rise across the Auckland region with the monopoly water supplier planning eight years of price increases to pay for capital works.

First in line to pay higher bills are Auckland City householders and businesses. They face a 9.1 per cent rise after the Citizens & Ratepayers Now group voted in secret with Auckland Mayor Dick Hubbard and his deputy, Bruce Hucker, yesterday to push through the increase.

This will lift the average household water bill from $800 a year to $1000.

The increase follows a 9.6 per cent rise just 10 months ago and revelations that the region's bulk water supplier, Watercare, is planning to double its prices between 2008 and 2016 to pay for capital works.

There is also a proposal for Watercare to pay a dividend to local councils, which would lead to even bigger price rises for households and businesses across the region.

Auckland City officers have begun crunching the numbers on the impact of the Watercare price rises and the cost implications of a potentially costly tax matter to do with its own water retailer, Metrowater.

Work has also started on the size of next year's increase by Metrowater.

Metrowater chairman Ross Keenan said yesterday a 10 per cent rise by Watercare equated to a 5 per cent rise in the retail price to customers.

More here .