Councillor Pushes Chlorine Free Napier Water
Councillor Pushes Chlorine Free Napier Water
Napier City Councillor Annette Brosnan has today made a stand against the permanent chlorination of Napier’s water.
The Napier City Councils Annual plan
deliberations were held today at the Napier War Memorial
Centre. The meeting became fiery during the water discussion
with members of the public interrupting and causing a
disruption, Councillors were asked to leave the
room.
Councillor Annette Brosnan later moved a new
motion on the city’s drinking water, to have an
independent assessment of the option to remove chlorine
undertaken.
Brosnan said “Council never got a
chance to decide to ‘permanently chlorinate’, it was
forced upon us after an extraordinary contamination event
and in my view, after 2 years, our time has come to push
back and make the decision for ourselves”
The
motion was in contract to the staffs report with ongoing
permanent chlorination and an accompanying education
programme.
“In this chlorine debate there is a
big unknown - weather the government will leave the door
open to an unchlorinated water supply or not, if they do
then we owe it to consider that option in a robust way”
Councillor Brosnan said.
Brosnan passed a motion
that:
Confirms Water is Councils number 1
priority
Council commission an independent options and
costings assessment report for the supply of un-chlorinated
water for Napier and
Council seek expressions of interest
for the preparation of this report, and that the selection
of the consultant be done by full Council.
In speaking to the motion Councillor Annette Brosnan said “my motion is exactly what the community are asking for in their submissions, to seriously look into removing chlorine. The first step in making a permanent decision on chlorine is getting independent advice on what our options and costs are. The second step is putting those figures in front of the community, and letting them choose if it’s affordable for them”
After Councillor Brosnans debate, the motion was unanimously supported by Council. Councillor Wise seconded Brosnans motion and also moved Christchurch City Council and DHB staff be invited to speak with Council .