A controversial new walking and cycling bridge will be the link between Jacobstown Wells on the city-side of the river, and East Gore treatment plant to the north. But McIntyre, who has submitted to council as part of its 10-year plan, believed the pipes should run in a direct line between the two points, instead of diverting the approximately 800m downstream to the bridge, and back up. The diversion almost doubles the distance the water needs to travel, which McIntyre says adds up quickly considering the pipe is priced at $871 per metre. “The cost of putting the pipe down through where they want the bridge is about $3 million more than just going straight up there like this,” McIntyre says, pointing out key landmarks next to the Mataura River.