IAWAI Water Services Strategy

I am in my early 20s, working as a nurse in the Waikato, and just starting out. I care about both public health and being able to afford to live in this region long term.
From a health perspective, I am concerned about the proposal to continue discharging treated wastewater into the Waikato River, particularly given its proximity to drinking water intake points. While treatment processes reduce risk, it is well known they do not remove all contaminants, including pharmaceuticals and hormones. As someone working in healthcare, that raises concerns about long-term cumulative effects on both the environment and human health.
I am also concerned about affordability. Many people my age are already struggling with rent, student loans, and general living costs. This strategy appears to involve significant long-term spending, and it is not clear how this will impact future charges. There is a real risk that younger generations will be carrying the cost of decisions being made now.
Overall, I would like to see a strategy that prioritises safe water, protects the river, and is realistic about what people can afford.

Partially support

I support the idea that growth should pay for growth, as long as it is applied fairly and based on clear evidence.
However, I am concerned that it is not clear whether the proposed charges are directly linked to actual infrastructure needs, or whether they will contribute to broader costs. Without transparency, it is difficult to support additional charges with confidence.
It is also important that growth assumptions are realistic. If projections are inaccurate, there is a risk that infrastructure is overbuilt and costs are passed on unnecessarily.
For people starting out, affordability is critical, so any approach needs to be fair, evidence-based, and clearly justified.

Partially support

I have concerns about the introduction of 1/2 payment for granny flats in their current form.
While I understand the intention behind them, there does not appear to be enough clear evidence explaining why they are needed or how they have been calculated. Without this, they risk being seen as unfair.
There is also a concern that these costs will be passed on through higher house prices or rents, making it even harder for people like me to get ahead or stay in the region.
If growth charges are used, they need to be transparent, justified, and carefully considered to avoid increasing the cost of living.

Website, Social media, Letter / Flyer

From my perspective, engagement does not feel genuine or early enough.
Most people my age are not aware of these decisions until they are already well underway, which makes it difficult to feel like we have any real input. It feels more like being asked for feedback after decisions have already been shaped.
For something that will affect future costs and infrastructure, it is important that younger people are included earlier and in a more accessible way.
As someone starting out in the Waikato, I want to be able to build a future here — both financially and in terms of quality of life.
That means having confidence that our water is safe, that the environment is being protected, and that costs are not going to become unaffordable over time.
I would like to see more transparency, more realistic planning, and a stronger focus on long-term sustainability for both people and the environment.

Partially support

it is not transparent or criteria based. I would support social housing or community centres having waivers but believe in the public being made aware of waivers provided.

No, these are my own personal views

Hamilton

Waipa District