One Mahurangi Business Association Public Meeting, Town Hall, Warkworth

On May 31, 2024, The Matakana Coast App posted a notification presenting the One Mahurangi Business Association's stance on Watercare's wastewater plans. To read the article written by OMBA Manager Murray Chapman, head here.

Last night Wednesday 19^th June 2024, the One Mahurangi Business Association held a public meeting at the Warkworth Town Hall to inform the business community about Watercare's upcoming plans. Murray Chapman, Bevan Morrison, and Dave Stott chaired the meeting. The Matakana Coast App was in attendance. Approximately 180 people attended.

A critical point discussed was Watercare's intention to construct a wastewater pipeline through the main street of Warkworth via Elizabeth, Queen, and Baxter Streets, with the work due to start on August 24. This project is expected to shut down the main street for several months, significantly impacting local businesses and traffic flow.

Murray Chapman, Manager of One Mahurangi Business Association, has been lobbying Watercare for the last three years to consider the impact on the CBD of Warkworth and how it will affect the town. Communication with Watercare has been less than satisfactory. The OMBA team understands that the work needs to be completed but insists that Watercare needs to be open to alternative solutions to mitigate the impact on the town.

Watercare has been hard to deal with and seems to be primarily concerned with its budget. Their engagement with the community should have happened years ago. Many members of the public at the meeting expressed that they should have been informed about these plans much earlier, but it appears the Warkworth team was under significant constraints.

There is a petition with 1,000 signatures opposing the work through the main street, but many more signatures are needed to create the necessary impact. The One Mahurangi Business Association is asking all who live, work, or use the town of Warkworth to sign this petition. The Association wants to avoid legal action but emphasizes the need for community support to push for reconsideration of the current plan.

Time is running out, and many meeting attendees felt these issues should have been brainstormed years ago. Murray Chapman apologized for not highlighting this earlier. However, OMBA remains committed to finding a solution and urges the community to act quickly to make their voices heard.

The outcome of the meeting was to take the following actions:

1. Develop a media campaign
2. Write to editors of newspapers
3. Get TVNZ involved
4. Send a letter to the CEO of Watercare
5. Organize demonstrations
6. Sign and push the petition