Essential Services contribute to the following Outcomes.

• An attractive and highly valued natural environment

• A safe and healthy Community

• A thriving economy

• Affordable access to goods and services

• A participative, well informed and culturally aware community

These services are an essential part of our infrastructure and have become an integral part of everyday modern life. Well maintained roads increase our access to healthcare and educational opportunities and provide access for visitors and service providers. Clean water and the safe disposal of waste promotes better hygiene and helps eliminate our exposure to biological contamination. The responsible disposal of sewage, stormwater and refuse helps to preserve the quality of our immediate environment whilst recycling initiatives encourage the conservation of raw materials and foster an appreciation of the impact of our lifestyles on the wider environment.

Water: What the Council does

In the Mackenzie District, there are presently four piped public water supplies which are managed by the Mackenzie District Council. They are the urban schemes at Fairlie, Lake Tekapo, Twizel and Burkes Pass. Council also manages the Allandale rural water supply.

Management of the Albury Water Supply is undertaken by the Albury Water Supply Committee under a formal agreement with the Mackenzie District Council. Management of the Kimbell Rural Supply is carried out by the consumers.

There are three public stock water race systems in the District. They are: Ashwick Opuha, School Road and Puneroa Eversley stock race systems.

Water: Services Provided

On-demand schemes - continuous supply of potable water and sufficient water supply for fire fighting purposes.

Restricted flow schemes - continuous small flow of potable water to on-property storage tanks. The flow rate is controlled according to the number of units purchased.

Small flow, not necessarily continuous, up to 1820 litres per day to on-property storage tanks for tank supplies and modified restricted flows. This applies in areas reticulated with small diameter pipes or where the pressure may drop below the level required to operate Maric restrictors.

Timely response to faults and technical advice to consumers.

Water quality testing to comply with NZ Drinking Water Standards microbiological requirements, in the distribution zones.

Ongoing water main maintenance, renewal and upgrading.

Maintenance of water reticulation networks including pipes, valves, meters and hydrants.

Supply of information on water services and their location.

External contractors undertake all the maintenance and projects in terms of contract specifications overseen by Councils Asset Management Section.

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Sewer Lines: What the Council does

In the Mackenzie District, there are presently four public sewerage schemes: Fairlie, Lake Tekapo, Twizel and Burkes Pass. There are 2,774 properties connected to these four schemes. The other properties in the district dispose of their wastewater by other means most via their own septic tank system.

Final disposal of effluent is by way of soakage trenches, basins to land or irrigation to land. These systems minimise environmental pollution and protect public health and safety by safeguarding hygiene and preventing the spread of communicable diseases.

Fairlie sewerage scheme was consented and upgraded in 2003.

Tekapo and Burkes Pass sewerage schemes were consented and upgraded in the 2004/2005 year.

Twizel sewerage scheme consent has been applied for and an upgrade is planned to improve the inflow into the oxidation ponds, thus providing better treatment.

Sewer Lines: Services Provided

External contractors undertake all the maintenance and projects in terms of contract specifications overseen by the Asset Supervisor. These include:

· Collection and disposal of sewage that adequately meets the needs of the community

· Compliance with Environment Canterbury Resource Consent requirements at sewage plants

· The completion of improvement and maintenance projects according to Council & Community Board approvals.
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Stormwater: What the Council does

To provide and maintain reliable reticulated stormwater systems which protect public health, property, safety, the environment and recognises cultural values whilst realising current financial constraints both now and in the future.

External contractors undertake all the maintenance and projects in terms of contract specifications overseen by the Asset Supervisor.

Resource consents for stormwater discharge at Tekapo and Twizel were approved in 2005.

Stormwater: Services Provided

On demand response to stormwater blockages, flooding and overflows.

Preventative maintenance and capital works programmes for stormwater extension and upgrading.

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Refuse: What the Council does

Refuse and recycling collections are available at Fairlie, Lake Tekapo and Twizel. Resource Recovery Parks are available at Fairlie, Lake Tekapo and Twizel. A Vertical Composting Unit (VCU) is installed at the Twizel site, to compost the Districts organic material.

There are no longer any active District landfills. The Fairlie, Lake Tekapo and Twizel closed landfill sites are now only used for hardfill disposal and are controlled sites that do not permit public access. Residual waste is disposed of at Redruth Landfill in Timaru.

The Resource Recovery Parks (RRPs) and the VCU are operated by Council staff.

External contractors are employed to carry out refuse collection and transport of residual waste to Redruth Landfill in Timaru.

Refuse: Services Provided

• Domestic refuse collection, collecting recyclables, organics and residual waste for Fairlie, Tekapo and Twizel and Albury
• Promotion of waste minimisation
• Provision of recycling facilities
• Operation of a Vertical Composting Unit to turn the District's organic material into valuable compost
• Provision of an Education Programme, encouraging residents, businesses, schools and community groups to separate and reduce their waste at source
• Participation in the regional waste strategy
• Participation in waste diversion
• Provide domestic Hazardous Waste diversion
• Participate in the Environment Canterbury Hazardous Waste on farm collection programme

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Roads: What the Council does

An efficient transportation system (including roadways, footpaths and cycleways) is essential to the efficient functioning of the District.

The Council maintains local roads in the District to New Zealand Transport Agency and its own Roading Asset Management Plan standards. Over recent years the level of services provided by roads and footpaths has been gradually raised to meet higher expectations of road users. Improvements to localised road alignments, signage, road markings and street lighting have also provided increased road safety. Maintenance programmes over the next few years will focus principally on maintaining roads at current levels of service, although further improvements on selected sections of road will be made. The Council has carried out 40.68km of seal extension since 2001 and intends to continue this programme provided New Zealand Transport Agency financial assistance is obtained. No new roads are anticipated except for short sections associated with new subdivisions. These are constructed by subdivision developers and vested in the Council once completed.

The roading network consists of 190km of sealed roads and 518km of unsealed roads. There are 61km of footpaths and a total of 96 bridges.

Roads: Services Provided

Maintenance and upgrading of roads, bridges, cattlestops, footpaths and kerb and channels.

Traffic services, including signage, road marking and street lighting and street cleaning.

In conjunction with the NZ Police and NZTA (as the lead agency) adopt (and annually review) a road safety strategy for the District to be implemented by the Road Safety South Canterbury Committees Annual Business Plan.

External contractors undertake all the maintenance in terms of contract specifications and are overseen by the Manager of the Councils Roading Business Unit.

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Roading Professional Services: What the Council does

The Council has a separately identifiable Roading Professional Services Business Unit. The purpose of the Business Unit is to enable the roading network to be managed in-house by a Council officer while remaining eligible for New Zealand Transport Agency financial assistance.

The Business Unit also manages the Council's roading activities that are not eligible for New Zealand Transport Agency financial assistance, for example footpath maintenance and upgrades.

Roading Professional Services: Services Provided

Let and supervise works contracts for the maintenance and improvement of the roading network

Maintain a District Roading Programme in accordance with New Zealand Transport Agency requirements

Collect and maintain information on the roading network

Research and develop innovative methods to improve the level of service provided by the roading network and reduce costs

Liaise with stakeholders, other road authorities and contractors etc. to maintain a high profile to the Council's road management activities

Carry out non-subsidisable maintenance and improvement works, for example footpath maintenance and upgrades

Mackenzie District Council 2006