We have seen a lot of debate about Three Waters - some for, most against. A couple of the ‘for' groups have pointed to the 100-year-old pipes being replaced before the work construction work begins on Cameron Road. I guess they think the pipes should have been replaced some time ago.

Well this is what pipes do, they are designed to a certain capacity and there is no point in replacing them until they fail or we need a larger capacity. I believe the replacement was planned for this work, as it should have been.

It's just unfortunate that council have decided to add the replacement costs ($13 million) to the $45 million gifted by central government. I suspect there will be many overruns to the budget before the project is completed.

My point is that our existing council staff are more than capable of running our water assets. The main problem arises when central government changes the subdivisional rules on infill housing.

If we look at the way central government ignore the fears and expectations of ratepayers I wonder if they consider the fact that local government represent virtually every person in New Zealand and they ignore them at their peril.

Labour's previous period of government in coalition with NZ First was very successful, as they had someone to block stupid ideas. There's no coalition this time, so Labour's bullies can do what they like.

Please protest the Three Waters decision.

Dan Russell, Tauranga (abridged).