Cold water should have been poured on the vague proposal grandiosely called “Project Wai” and council should not have agreed to offer support “in principle”. 

It seems these days anyone can walk in with some cooked-up idea (viz Grey St) and somehow sweet-talk council into providing staff time and assistance. 

This happens without any public input at all, and seemingly without a thorough examination and fully informed debate before council weakly signs approval. 

I object to staff being involved and ratepayer money being wasted in such careless fashion. 

I note that the proposers of Project Wai do not appear to have revealed who their project is aimed at; after all, public water supply is a local body matter - private water supply for other than health purposes is another matter entirely. 

A lot of money has already been spent investigating irrigation for horticulture (I refer to the work looking at whether the Flats’ aquifers could be boosted by Waipaoa River water). That project seems to have been abandoned - and in any case, supplying water for horticulture or other commercial use is a business matter in which user pays - not the residential ratepayer. 

I would want far more detail - and indeed to see the proposers in person, not by Zoom - before indicating any form of backing. 

I am glad councillor Gregory voiced some misgivings. It is a pity other councillors did not see any fishhooks and say “hang on a minute, mate!” 

The council should stick to the straight and narrow of fundamental business - there is a pile of important matters to attend to as it is. 

Support “in principle”, whatever that means, is not needed - if the idea is sound it would secure backing on its own merits. 

Roger Handford