Closure of Arohena Rural Water Scheme

Ōtorohanga District Council is working through the process under the Local Government Act to close the drinking water component of the Arohena Rural Water Supplies.

Arohena Rural Water Supplies

Arohena has three water supplies:

• Kahorekau

• Huirimu

• Taupaki

These supplies cannot meet the Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules without significant upgrades, estimated to cost around $6 million.

How the water is currently used

Approximately 90% of the treated water is used for agricultural purposes, with only a small proportion used for drinking water.

Proposed approach

Rather than proceeding with costly upgrades, Council is using the provisions of the Local Government Act to close the drinking water component of the supplies. This approach was previously taken for the Ranginui Rural Water Supply in 2016.

What happens next

Before a final decision can be made, Council must complete several required steps under the Local Government Act. These are currently underway.

Key dates and supporting documents are available on the right hand side of this page.