IAWAI Water Services Strategy

I am a young woman working as a nurse and contractor in the Waikato. I see first-hand the importance of safe water and healthy environments, but I also live with the financial uncertainty that comes with contracting and rising living costs.
From a health perspective, I am concerned about the continued discharge of treated wastewater into the Waikato River, particularly given how close it is to drinking water intake points. While treatment reduces risk, it does not remove everything, including pharmaceuticals and other contaminants. As someone working in healthcare, I find it difficult to reconcile this with the expectation that our water is fully safe over the long term.
At the same time, I am worried about affordability. Contracting income can fluctuate, and many people in similar situations are already under pressure from rent, fuel, and general living costs. This strategy appears to involve significant long-term spending, and it is not clear how those costs will flow through to households.
Overall, I would like to see a strategy that better balances public health, environmental protection, and affordability, and that reflects the realities people are facing now.

Partially support

I support the principle that growth should pay for growth, provided it is applied fairly, transparently, and based on clear evidence.
However, I am concerned that it is not obvious whether the proposed charges are directly funding infrastructure needed for growth, or whether they are contributing to broader costs. Without that transparency, it is difficult to have confidence in the approach.
There is also a risk that if growth assumptions are not accurate, infrastructure could be overbuilt and costs passed on unnecessarily. For those of us with variable incomes, affordability is critical, so any approach needs to be realistic and carefully managed.

No

I do not support this proposal as frequently those using minor dwellings are not high users, therefore, the model should be on a user pays.

Social media

No

From my perspective, engagement does not feel genuine or early enough.
Many people only become aware of these kinds of decisions once they are already well progressed. That makes it difficult to feel like there is any real opportunity to influence outcomes.
For decisions that will affect long-term costs, infrastructure, and public health, it is important that engagement happens earlier and in a way that is accessible to working people, including those with busy or irregular schedules.

No

No, absolutely not. This has room for unfair waiver concessions occurring. There is no public notification and no clear criteria. This needs to be transparent and criteria based.

No, these are my own personal views

Rukahia

Waipa District