From the TDC website:
Tasman District Council is being advised by staff at Thursday’s (11/12) meeting that neither of the funding options for the proposed Waimea Community Dam should be adopted. The analysis of submissions shows that the proposal to fund the project entirely from rates is not affordable for the community nor for the Council.
“My advice to the Council is that the project shouldn’t proceed on the funding basis proposed. I doubt that there is any way of allocating the cost of such a large project on to ratepayers or the direct beneficiaries in a way that is fair and affordable,” said Council CEO Lindsay McKenzie.
“There is still a strong case for augmenting the supply of water available on and around the Waimea Plains,” says Mr McKenzie. “For that reason I am also advising the Council to provide for a dam when it consults on the Long Term Plan 2015-25. My report covers the conditions on which a commitment to a dam could be made.”
The report recommends that submitters concerns about the method of funding the environmental flows be heeded, that further investigation into the best size for a dam be undertaken and external funding be actively sought.
See TDC news item.