Auckland Weather 27/01/23 and Cyclone Gabrielle

Forums › Off topic › Auckland Weather 27/01/23 and Cyclone Gabrielle

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Networkn
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#3031339 3-Feb-2023 15:51

Earbanean:

I think upgrading storm water infrastructure is one of the waters in 'Three Waters'. It wasn't too popular - or at least how the Government packaged it and tried to sell it wasn't too popular. But it does need to be done, along with the other two waters.

In the last couple of years, Auckland (amongst others) has had freshwater shortages (Water #1), sewerage contamination of beaches (Water #2) and massive storm water flooding (Water #3). I think people should by now at be able to see that the 3 waters need some serious work. We need to get past the red herrings around co-governance fears etc and get on with some sort of work - whether it's 'Three Waters' or something else.

The Co-Governance thing wasn't a red herring, it is a legitimate concern.

I agree we need to take care of our waterways, but 3Waters in it's current form, I believe, is likely to fall short of the expected result and cost Billions more than it should.

No way can we do this and keep everyone happy, but we should be able to do it in a better way.

elpenguino

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#3031345 3-Feb-2023 15:59

networkn:

elpenguino:

He's already apologised for being slow off the mark so place your bets.

I'd love to know how he can be to blame for the guy who went out on a *Kayak*.

Let's be honest, your comment had nothing to do with the reasons you posted.

I agree, the guy who went out for to play in the floodwaters made a very bad decision which can't be laid on anyone else. The others though? We'll see.

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

elpenguino

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#3031347 3-Feb-2023 16:04

Earbanean:

I think upgrading storm water infrastructure is one of the waters in 'Three Waters'. It wasn't too popular - or at least how the Government packaged it and tried to sell it wasn't too popular. But it does need to be done, along with the other two waters.

In the last couple of years, Auckland (amongst others) has had freshwater shortages (Water #1), sewerage contamination of beaches (Water #2) and massive storm water flooding (Water #3). I think people should by now at be able to see that the 3 waters need some serious work. We need to get past the red herrings around co-governance fears etc and get on with some sort of work - whether it's 'Three Waters' or something else.

I was at a conference recently and all the other attendees were in council water asset departments. For about 20 years councils have been tracking their assets due to an act of parliament requiring it.

They all said, council assets are generally very old and councils are generally heavily indebted. Councils are going to struggle to make progress on their own.

Water is a vital and strategic necessity. We've got big water problems staring us in the face and as you say, we've got to get on with it. The status quo doesn't work anymore.

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

networkn

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#3031348 3-Feb-2023 16:12

elpenguino:

I was at a conference recently and all the other attendees were in council water asset departments. For about 20 years councils have been tracking their assets due to an act of parliament requiring it.

They all said, council assets are generally very old and councils are generally heavily indebted. Councils are going to struggle to make progress on their own.

Water is a vital and strategic necessity. We've got big water problems staring us in the face and as you say, we've got to get on with it. The status quo doesn't work anymore.

100% agree we need to protect our critical assets, but we have also spent huge money on a plan that has some serious flaws. Many experts believe the end result will be that 3 Waters in it's current form will only get us around 25-40% of the way to where we need to go at a cost that is likely 3 x what has been projected. The Co-Governence thing is an indication IMO that the focus has been in the wrong areas and motivated incorrectly.

Handsomedan

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#3031352 3-Feb-2023 16:27

How about we start a new thread for the political stuff?

You know - "Auckland's Mayor and how much we want to bag him, blame him and bash him".

Then we can get on and continue talking about the topic on hand here.

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wellygary

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#3031402 3-Feb-2023 16:45

elpenguino:

They all said, council assets are generally very old and councils are generally heavily indebted. Councils are going to struggle to make progress on their own.

Water is a vital and strategic necessity. We've got big water problems staring us in the face and as you say, we've got to get on with it. The status quo doesn't work anymore.

Its debatable whether council are heavily indebted...

NZ Councils are currently limited in their borrowing by legislation to a ratio of Debt to income, When you look at councils on a debt to asset basis ( which is how we measure government debt) its fairly reasonable....

The whole premise of the 3 waters reform is that by shuffling the water assets and debt into new legal entities, they are freed from the current debt to income rules and can go off and borrow a truck load more money to fund all the upgrades....

The government could free councils from their current debt limits now if they wanted to,

The reason the 3 waters entities will be able to borrow more is that their is a hugely tacit government guarantee...

This could be extended to local councils now if the government wanted....(I don't think any council in NZ history had ever (been allowed) to default on its debt)

Dyson

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gzt

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#3031644 4-Feb-2023 09:31

Residents in Titirangi and Glen Eden west ak asked to reduce water use. Damaged main on scenic drive.

https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/300799322/west-aucklanders-urged-to-reduce-water-use-one-week-on-from-flooding

ajw

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#3031656 4-Feb-2023 10:16

Handsomedan:

How about we start a new thread for the political stuff?

You know - "Auckland's Mayor and how much we want to bag him, blame him and bash him".

Then we can get on and continue talking about the topic on hand here.

Agreed and some of moaning didn't even bother to get off their chuffs and vote.

cddt

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#3031692 4-Feb-2023 11:51

ajw:

Agreed and some of moaning didn't even bother to get off their chuffs and vote.

Guilty. The stakes were lower during the election though. And I think I was essentially right in concluding that whoever was elected would fail to deliver light rail.

kiwifidget

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#3031713 4-Feb-2023 12:24

Auckland weather aside, is anyone concerned that the Coromandel is about to break off and become East Island? 😬

Delete cookies?! Are you insane?!

ajw

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#3031714 4-Feb-2023 12:27

kiwifidget:

Auckland weather aside, is anyone concerned that the Coromandel is about to break off and become East Island? 😬

Watched that last night on the news looks real bad.

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cddt

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#3031729 4-Feb-2023 13:25

kiwifidget:

Auckland weather aside, is anyone concerned that the Coromandel is about to break off and become East Island? 😬

Looks like all those 2-3 hour baches so popular with Aucklanders have suddenly lost a lot of utility.

I wonder if Whitianga airfield is suddenly getting a lot more use?

neb

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#3031748 4-Feb-2023 14:22

Earbanean:
I think upgrading storm water infrastructure is one of the waters in 'Three Waters'. It wasn't too popular - or at least how the Government packaged it and tried to sell it wasn't too popular. But it does need to be done, along with the other two waters.

Talked to someone who was involved in this a while back and his comment on it was that councils had been deferring maintenance for decades in the interests of appealing to voters with "we'll keep rates low", with the result being that we have water infrastructure that's falling apart everywhere. For example just in our tiny cul-de-sac we have repair crews out one to two times every year patching up water mains breaks, so that's two trucks and a crew of four or so spending at least half a day digging up old fractured pipes, patching in new ones, and resurfacing where they dug, and that's ongoing 24/7 (one patchup started around 11pm and finished around 4am), 365 days a year.

Three Waters is an attempt to get the pennypinching councils out of the equation and actually fix the infrastructure rather than spend probably the same amount or more on "maintenance" which is a different budget item.

The thing they've totally screwed up is the governance. If it wasn't for that and it was just "we'll fix your neverending water problems" they'd probably have universal support.

neb

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#3031750 4-Feb-2023 14:25

kiwifidget:
Auckland weather aside, is anyone concerned that the Coromandel is about to break off and become East Island? 😬

It would balance out West Island, that scorched wasteland full of things designed to kill you.

ezbee

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#3031755 4-Feb-2023 14:45

neb:
kiwifidget:

Auckland weather aside, is anyone concerned that the Coromandel is about to break off and become East Island? 😬

It would balance out West Island, that scorched wasteland full of things designed to kill you.

I'm sure there is a whole layer of Auckland society that will be traumatized about access to Pauanui. :-)

The real money can just fly, it might become a very busy little aeroclub field.

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