Kaipara council re-thinks water charges to share costs The Mangawhai waste-water treatment plant. The Kaipara District Council (KDC) is floating a proposal to its communities to share the cost of drinking and wastewater systems evenly among all ratepayers. Council’s sustainable growth and investment general manager, Sue Davidson, says the current system is too complex. “Capital costs are currently paid for by specific networks while operational costs are shared across all networks, except for the Te Kopuru wastewater scheme, where all costs are paid by those on the scheme,” Ms Davidson says. Council is seeking feedback on two new options. Ms Davidson says KDC’s preferred option is to share capital, maintenance and operating costs equally across ratepayers on all networks.