Tauranga City Council is reminding people to not be shocked when they open their water rates bill as it has changed the payment process. The water rates will now be billed for a six month period instead of every three months. The aim is to save money on printing and postage costs.

This information from Tauranga City Council weekly bulletin for the week beginning January 25 – published below.
City Waters
Water Supply:
* Customers are encouraged to continue to 'use water wisely' as recent rain has not been enough to impact significantly on the city's water demand levels. Any further dry spells are likely to again increase demand for water.
* The watermain upgrade including reinstatement on Eight Avenue has been completed.
* The watermain replacement in Hillcrest Road and Cameron Street between Elizabeth and Spring Street is in progress. Apollo Street and Pamela Place are due to commence February/March.
* The replacement of a pressure reducing valve and installation of a bulk meter is currently underway on Poike Road and this work is due for completion end January.
* Work on the Ohauiti High Level water supply reservoir is progressing. The construction of this new reservoir includes installation of over 1.1 km of new water main and will service the Ohauiti area. The main construction is expected to be completed late January 2010 with the reservoir into service in March.
* Otumoetai Watermain Upgrade - Connecting up in Otumoetai Road and Waihi Road and installation in Pillans Road and Ruston Avenue
* Fire hydrant marking and servicing continues in the Maunganui and Salisbury area and throughout the city over the next few months
* Backflow Surveys will commence 1 February in meter Zone 17 (Maungatapu) and Zone 20 (Welcome Bay). This survey will focus on commercial and industrial properties to ascertain if there are any potential operations that could affect the quality of our water network is a cross connection occurred. However, any home based operation such as hair salons will also be visited. The survey will take most of February and the contractor, (Norman M Ellis Ltd) has a letter of introduction and an Council ID card.

Drainage:
* Work is continuing on the Meadowland Pond (Matua salt marsh area) for cleaning to remove a quantity of raupo and other weed growth choking up the ponds.
* A section of drain off Aerodrome Road through the car wreckers site and a short length of drain from the stormwater outlet to harbour in Burrows Street was cleaned last week.
* Sovereign Drain and the Carlton Reserve pond are the next water bodies to be cleaned.
* Spraying of open drains is due and are scheduled to be done next month.
* A 'Severe Heavy Rain Warning' prompted all the critical stormwater grills and outlets be inspected and cleared to ensure they are not blocked or choked up with debris.
* Odour complaint reported at The Mall in vicinity of the pump station and public toilet block. Staff have been to site to try to determine reason and actual source of the odour. The pump station lids are to have rubber sealing strips fixed to the underside to help further seal them as this was one possible source.
* A sewer pipeline blockage in Seventh Avenue near Devonport Road (reported as Memorial Park) caused an overflow into the Waimapu Estuary via the stormwater system, as the overflow drained to the street sump. Much of the sewage was able to be contained and sucked up by vacuum tanker. The cause of the blockage was reported as quantity of tissue toilet paper.
* A lot of work has recently been done to compile a full list of all the new stormwater street drainage sumps that have been constructed over the last 5 years (since May 2005) to be included in to a new street sump cleaning contract being prepared for tender by Roading . A number of these devices such as 'Mega sumps", Super sumps" and those with additional pollution interceptor traps like filter bags etc requiring various inspection frequencies and cleaning are now listed for inclusion in this tender for a more cost efficient management.
* No stormwater pollution events were reported this week.

Water Demand Management:
* A pressure management pilot project is being planned for the Poike and Mangatapu areas to reduce night flow water losses. The project comprises the upgrading of pressure control devices and piloting of flow modulating pressure control devices. Pressures and losses will be carefully monitored during the next few months and adjustments made as necessary.

Southern Pipeline:
* Work is continuing on the new 1,300m3 wastewater storage tank and pump station site at Maleme Street with the shell of the tank now completed and all works expected to be completed in June 2010.
* All appeals against the resource consents have been resolved with the final resource consents expected to be issued in the near future.
* Work on extending the existing sewer in Maleme Street is complete with the exception of the final reinstatement.
* The first section of pipeline being between Maleme and Memorial is programmed to be tendered in the second quarter of 2010 with construction starting in the 3rd quarter of 2010.
* Work is continuing on detailed investigation for the Judea Link emergency management option.

Waiari Water Supply Project:
* Three appeals have been received against the resource consents for the construction and operation of a new water intake and treatment plant to serve the Papamoa urban growth area. Tauranga City Council is in discussions with the appellants and parties must report progress to the Environment Court by 26 February 2010.

Bulk Water Meter Installation:
* A bulk meter renewal project advertised in December is scheduled for implementation during February. Approximately six bulk meters are being replaced or refurbished (including refurbishing chambers) for accuracy of water balance and improved demand management.

Inflow Reduction Project:
* Inspections in the Bethlehem triangle area between Cambridge Road, Moffat Road and SH2 will begin in late January 2010.
* Inspections will be done in stages in the following order:
1 Beaumaris & Bethlehem Heights areas
2 Orange Lane & St Andrews areas
3 Wakefield, La Cumbre and Sterling Gate areas.

Parks and Leisure
* Scheduled street tree maintenance is being carried out in the Otumoetai, Matua, Bellevue and Brookfield areas.
* Work in progress to be able to reopen the Kingswood Road to Waikareao link after the remedial stormwater repairs in the area.
* Resurfacing work due to begin on walkways in the Matua saltmarsh region.
* Outdoor Classroom construction begins this week at the Gordon Carmichael Reserve.

City Projects
* Contractor has started on site at Mount Greens. A blessing of the Mount Greens site took place on 19 January.
* Work on the new gravity stormwater outfall at Greerton Park is progressing well. The work involves installing a new stormwater pipe with a 'tideflex' non-return valve. Work needs to be co-ordinated around the tides. Due for completion on 5 February.
* As part of the development of McLaren Falls Park, new direction and location signs are being installed. This will improve people's ability to navigate around the park which should see increased use of some of the more remote areas. Signs are due to be installed in February. Preliminary design work for the new visitor services building is also currently being undertaken. These activities represent implementation of actions from the reserve management plan for McLaren Falls Park.
* New sportsfield lighting is to be installed at Grenada Park as part of the on-going implementation of the reserve management plan for Grenada Park. This work is to be undertaken in February/March.
Transportation
* Bethlehem Roundabout: Construction of the new roundabout on SH2 at Bethlehem west has started. Clearing of trees within the road boundaries is underway. Work is expected to take about six months to complete. Traffic management and site screens will be in place but only minimal delays are expected in the early stages of construction. Motorists are advised to take care when driving through the work site.
* Parton Road: Work is continuing on laying the new kerb and channel. There will be unsealed sections and temporary speed restrictions will be in place.
* Local Road Resealing: The local road resealing programme has started again and work will continue until late March. Generally this work will involve minimal disruption to traffic.
* Links Avenue: Work to remove existing speed humps and replace them with speed cushions is underway. There will be traffic management in place so please take care when driving in the area and follow the temporary signs.
* Andrew Place/Shelley Street: Work to install new stormwater pipes is underway. Some minor disruption to traffic is possible.
* Vale Street: Work to reshape Vale Street between Baden Street and Landscape Road to form an overland stormwater flow path during severe storms has started. Work is likely to take eight months to complete and intermittent disruption to traffic is likely. Please take care when driving in the area.
* Wharf /Willow Streets: Major road works are due to start on Wharf and Willow Streets next month. The work will involve reconstructing and resurfacing the road and installing new kerb and channelling. Additional work includes upgrading the sewer, stormwater, watermains, and some parts of the footpath. While these road works are underway, the Hopper buses will operate from temporary bus stops on Durham Street. In preparation for this work starting temporary bus shelters have been put on Durham Street, near Baycourt. Details on bus stop changes will be available closer to when the work is due to start.
* Speed Limit Changes: Amendments to the Speed Limit Bylaw 2009 means the following speed limit changes will come into affect on 22 January.
- Moffat Road: between Cambridge Road and Orange Lane the speed limit changes from 70km/h to 60 km/h
- Maranui Street: between Sunrise Avenue and Papamoa Beach Road the speed limit changes to 60km/h
- Papamoa Beach Road: between Maranui Street and a point just south of Kirkpatrick Place the speed limit changes to 60km/h except on the approach to Papamoa Domain roundabout where the speed limit will remain at 50km/h.

Libraries
* The New Zealand Film Archive have recently launched a national digital access service (Medianet), a variety of video content including hundreds of classic film and video titles are now available online. Tauranga City Libraries has access to this service via a free-to-use kiosk in the New Zealand Room.
* The annual Summer Reading Programme finale event is scheduled for Thursday 28 January at Tauranga Boys' College. This year 350 children enrolled in the popular programme (Dive into Books).

Events
* A community open day was held at the Otumoetai Rail Reserve on 21 January by community group 'Let's get Growing' to discuss with local residents the proposed community garden for that site.
* Tauranga has signed up to Earth Hour 2010.

Democracy
Council Annual Plan 2010/11 Workshops - Starting Tuesday 26 January at 9.00 am through to Friday 29 January (unless finished earlier)

Items 1 & 2 will be discussed on Tuesday 26 January – 9.00 am onwards
1. Annual Plan 2010/11 - To provide an up to date financial overview of the current draft Annual Plan 2010/11.
2. Route K Position Paper - To summarise the position and outlook for the Route K Toll Road for information of Elected Members.

3. Draft Annual Plan 2010/11 Christmas Pack – Activity by Activity Review

Item 4 will be discussed on Tuesday 26 January – 1.00 pm
4. Matua Bowling Club Request for Funding - The Matua Bowling Club is planning to undertake the conversion of one existing natural bowling green to an artificial green during 2010. Council is asked to consider a funding contribution to allow the project to proceed during 2010.

Item 5 will be discussed on Tuesday 26 January – 3.00 pm
5. Proposed Savings in Libraries Budget - This report provides information on proposed savings in the Libraries Budget during the next 3 years.

Items 6, 7, 8 & 9 will be discussed on Wednesday 27 January – 9.00 am onwards
6. Growth Issues - Staff presentation on growth funding issues, fiscal approaches and debt management.
7. Development Contribution Policy: Wairakei Urban Growth Area - Seeking direction from Elected Members on issues associated with the reintroduction of the Wairakei urban growth area to Council's Development Contributions Policy.
8. Development Contribution Policy Southern Pipeline Funding - Seeking direction on issues related to the southern pipeline funding model for inclusion in the draft 2010/11 Development Contributions Policy.
9. Development Contributions: Policy West Bethlehem SIF - Report back the outcomes of the review of West Bethlehem SIFs and to seek direction from Elected Members on a number of issues that arose through this review.
10. Targeted Rates – Update - To update Elected Members on progress with proposed new targeted rates for the Coast and Excelsa developments and on the existing targeted rate for The Lakes development.