Hon Damien O’Connor
Associate Minister of Health

7 August 2008 Media Statement

Funding for communities to improve sewerage systems

The government is committing over $23 million to improve sewerage systems in ten small communities, Associate Health Minister Damien O’Connor announced today.

“These subsidies will assist smaller communities to have access to safe, efficient, and hygienic sewerage systems,” said Mr O’Connor.

Four communities in the Far North, two on the West Coast, two in Rodney and one in Timaru have been given provisional approval for funding to improve their sewerage systems. Tahuna in Matamata Piako has received final approval for their reticulation and treatment system.

The funding comes from the Sanitary Works Subsidy Scheme introduced in 2003. This scheme covers the capital costs of sewerage systems for small, mainly rural, communities who have difficulty funding necessary upgrades.

Funding commitments (including GST) to communities are:

• Tahuna - north of Morrinsville, has approval for $783,000 to provide sewerage reticulation and build a sewage treatment plant.

• Ngawha Springs - close to Kaikohe, has provisional approval for $1.9 million to provide sewerage reticulation.

• Awanui - north west of Kaitaia, has provisional approval for $5.13 million for a treatment plant upgrade and completion of the sewerage reticulation.

• Opua - near Paihia, has provisional approval for $2.27 million to build a sewerage reticulation system and pump to Paihia.

• Wireless Road - north of Kaitaia, has provisional approval for $905,000 to build a sewerage reticulation system.

• Point Wells - in Rodney, has provisional approval for $793,000 for a sewerage reticulation scheme with pumping to the Omaha treatment plant.

• Martins Bay - south of Snells Beach, has provisional approval for $283,500 for a sewerage reticulation scheme.

• Westport - in Buller has provisional approval for $7.82 million to build a treatment plant and reticulate the Orowaiti area. The plant has already been constructed.

• Ross - south of Hokitika, has provisional approval of $2.41 million for a reticulation and treatment system.

• Arowhenua - in the Timaru district, has a provisional approval of $531,000 for the scheme.

Over $2 million of additional funding has also been provided to cover increases in costs between the provisional and final approval stages for communities with a Deprivation Index of 5 or above:

• Edgecumbe - in the Whakatane district ($210,000)

• Piopio - in the Waitomo district ($1 million)

• Tuatapere - in the Southland district ($900,000)

• Rangiriri - in the Waikato district ($360,000)

“These are generally higher need communities, many of which are small and rural. I am delighted to announce this government’s investment in infrastructure that is vital for the health and wellbeing of people in all our communities,” said Mr O’Connor.

ENDS

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