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The Kaipara District Council is unsure how to respond until it completes a feasibility study.
Mangawhai’s water supply will be owned and operated by private developers if a proposed pipeline project goes ahead.
Mangawhai Central Ltd has approached the Kaipara District Council (KDC) with a proposal to build a pipeline from Langs Beach to Mangawhai, connecting the town to the Whangarei water supply.
The Whangarei District Council would sell water to Mangawhai Central, which would then on-sell the water to houses in the Central development, and other suburbs that connect in the future.
At a Council briefing last week, Deputy Mayor Anna Curnow said the proposal needed to be considered carefully.
“It would be unprecedented for a private entity to be the major supplier of water to an entire town,” she said.
However, Mayor Jason Smith understands that if the developers gained approval from the Whangarei District Council, KDC would not have a say in the proposal. The only further hurdle, as far as the KDC is concerned, is the application for consent to build the pipe, which would have to be judged within the relevant legal process.
If Council wanted to take control of the project, it would have to build its own pipe. It has already been investigating building a pipeline from Langs Beach, but on a much smaller scale to service a water tanker fill-up station. It approved $100,000 for a feasibility study.
However, there are no funds allocated for a Mangawhai water supply in the KDC 2021 Long Term Plan.
At the meeting, councillors considered that the proposed project would help to ensure water supply security for Mangawhai.
Cr Peter Wethey suggested that Mangawhai Central may surrender its groundwater water take consents obtained from the Northland Regional Council, allowing more take for the wider community.
Mangawhai Central has given Whangarei District Council and KDC until October to sign an agreement.
Mangawhai does not currently have a reticulated water supply.
