Water, and the environment

Out and about today, the most common question I was asked was where I stood in relation to water. My answer is unequivocal: water supply must be kept in public ownership, no question.

Water isn't an unlimited resource, and we do need to conserve it. There are simple things that I think we should be looking at, like rainwater tanks and using grey water in the garden, which will help reduce the need for new dams. And it just doesn't make sense to spend a lot of money purifying water just to use it in the toilet or pour it on the garden - we need to have smarter thinking about our resources.

Talking of resources, as I mentioned the other day the regional council held a workshop on the environment at Rongotai College on Thursday night. It was an opportunity for the public to contribute to the way the regional council undertakes its important roles in protecting the environment, and I felt that the participants had a good opportunity to be involved and to be heard.

One remarkable thing, though, was the level of involvement from our current elected representatives and candidates. There were three current regional councillors there and one candidate, but for the city council the entire representation was just one candidate. I think that the health is far too important to be ignored, but I seem to be in a minority of one. I suggest that you remember that when you vote.