Submissions closing soon on potential water storage investment

Hawke’s Bay people are reminded that submissions on Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s potential investment in the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme close next Tuesday June 3 2014.

Council released a statement of proposal on investing up to $80 million in the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme and has been asking the public to make a submission.

More than 470 people have attended the 17 public consultation meetings held throughout the region during the last fortnight, to discuss the benefits and risks of investing in the large irrigation scheme in Central Hawke’s Bay.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Chairman Fenton Wilson is pleased with the public turnout at the meetings.

“It has been great to see so many people engaging on this issue. There have been plenty of interesting and probing questions from members of the public. It is clear there is strong interest in learning about the scheme throughout the region,” says Mr Wilson.

The public has until the 3rd of June 2014 to lodge a written submission on the investment proposal, before verbal submissions are heard from 16th of June.

Before deciding whether or not to invest up to $80 million in the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme, Council will consider all the written and verbal submissions, along with a range of reports, including an independent peer review of the business case and a report on potential alternative investments.

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