Kupu Whakataki │Introduction
The Council recently sought feedback from the Ōpaki Water Race (the Race) ratepayers and users on the future of the Race following changes to the law that have automatically extended the Council’s resource consents to operate the Race.
The Council is now formally consulting with the Race ratepayers and users on a proposal to keep operating the Race for a further year until 30 June 2027 on the basis that the costs are recovered via a targeted rate.
Although you may have provided feedback previously, it is important that we hear from you as part of this formal consultation process which is required under legislation.
Consultation closes on Monday 8 June 2026.
Tā tātou tono │Our Proposal
| What we propose | Reason for Proposal |
Extending operation of the Ōpaki Water Race by Council until 30 June 2027 (12 months). | This will allow an additional 12 months for the Opaki Water Race Users Committee to apply for the consents they require to operate and work on the river and take over operations. This 12-month extension will align with the 2026/27 rating year, allowing Council to apply a targeted rate as it has done in the past. |
Continuing to charge a targeted rate to property owners in Ōpaki who are serviced by the Race. | This will pay for the operating and maintenance costs of the Race during the additional 12 months of operation at the same level as prior years. |
Maintenance of the Race during the additional 12 months of operation to the same level as currently provided. | This will enable Council to continue to operate the Race within the limits of the existing consents. The expectation is that the operating costs will remain at the same level as prior years, but there may be periods when the river intake cannot be altered to achieve optimal flow into the Race as more extensive river works will require additional resource consents. |
In 2020, Masterton District Council decided to close the Ōpaki Water Race(the Race) at the expiry of the current Resource Consents on 30 June 2026.
The Race takes water from the Ruamāhanga River and distributes it via open channel branches to approximately 50 properties of varying size and land use across parts of the Ōpaki district, north of Masterton. The Race was originally built to provide grazing stock with water. As land use has changed over time, the Race water has been used for other uses such as grape irrigation and vineyard frost protection in addition to stock water. Due to low river levels and riverbed degradation, Race flow may not fully restore naturally. Significant investment in river works will be required to secure intake flows for the future, including next summer.
Properties that use the Race pay a targeted rate to have the race available across their properties.
The Council consulted with Race users in 2019 before it made the decision to close the Race by 30 June 2026. The Council has worked towards closing the Race and is aware that many property owners have since moved away from reliance on the Race and invested in alternative water supplies.
The Government has recently passed an Act which has automatically extended resource consents for 18 months. The Ōpaki Water Race Users Committee, a group of Race users, have been working with the Council with a view to taking over operation of the Race. They intend applying for new consents from Greater Wellington Regional Council to operate it. However, they are not yet in a position to operate and administer the Race or apply for the consents. Extending the operation of the Race will give the Race users committee time to do this while not interrupting the operation of the Race.
The Council sought feedback from the Ōpaki Water Race ratepayers and users, to help the Council decide what it should do; continue with closing the Race by 30 June 2026 or continue operating the Race under the extended consents.
This feedback was considered alongside other advice and information at an extraordinary Council Meeting on 29 April 2026.
The Council resolved to consult with the Ōpaki Water Race ratepayers and users on a proposal to continue to operate the Race to 30 June 2027.
The Council proposes to continue to operate the Ōpaki Water Race for an additional 12 months only, until 30 June 2027.
This will allow additional time for the Race users committee to establish themselves to be able to take over operations of the Race after this date and to apply for Resource Consents. As a result of this extension, the Ōpaki Water Race targeted rate would be continued for those who usually pay the rate for the rating year 2026/27, and Council would continue to be responsible for the operation of the Race under the current consent conditions over the time of the extension to the same level as currently provided.
The Council propose that the targeted rate for 2026/27 be set based on the Land Value of the properties serviced by the Race. The proposed rate will be $0.00155 for every dollar of Land Value. This is a 4% increase in the rate that was set for the 2025/26 year.
The Council is not proposing to utilise the full extension of resource consents until 31 December 2027. This is because an end date of 30 June 2027 aligns with the 2026/27 rating year and Council will not have internal resourcing to maintain the Race past 30 June 2027 as this will be transferred to Waitī Water Limited under the Government’s Local Water Done Well reforms.
The Council is not proposing to adopt an alternative charging basis such as a user pays system to cover the cost of operating the Race. It would not be possible to administer and enforce an equitable user pays system as all properties have access to the Race, regardless of whether they use it and there is no verifiable way to measure usage for most properties. Not charging properties who say they do not use the Race is not feasible as some could use it without paying and others could pay but have no water.
The Council is not proposing to increase maintenance or carry out remedial works on the Ruamāhanga River to restore more consistent Race flow. This is because of the short timeframe to obtain the necessary consent for more substantial works in the river and to carry out the works; the likely high cost of the consent that Race users would need to pay; and the risk of needing additional work if a weather event moves the riverbed again.
Council considered the alternative option to follow the original resolution made on 28 October 2020 and close the Ōpaki Water Race from 30 June 2026, regardless of the automatic extension on the expiry date of the Consents enabled by legislation. The targeted Ōpaki Water Race rate would cease to be collected.
The Race would be sequentially shut down over the autumn and early winter months in accordance with a Closure Management Plan submitted to Greater Wellington Regional Council. This would involve removing the culvert structure in the Ruamāhanga River and making good. Once the culvert is removed, there will be no flow into the Race. Fish and aquatic animal species rescue would be carried out at key locations.
The Council does not prefer this option because it does not take advantage of the extended timeframe for the expiry of the Race which would provide the Ōpaki Water Race Users Committee the opportunity to apply for the consents to take over the operation of the Race.
