Water satisfaction sinks in latest resident survey
Gore residents have shown their unhappiness with the town’s water supply in the annual Gore District Council’s residents survey.
Satisfaction with the town’s water quality dropped to 69 per cent, down from 84 per cent in last year’s survey, and satisfaction with the reliability of the water supply dropped from 90 per cent last year to to 66 per cent in 2018.
In a report from council communications and marketing manager Sonia Gerken, which will be tabled at a full council meeting on Tuesday night, council 3 Waters manager Matt Bayliss said there appeared to be a link between the low satisfaction levels in 2016 and 2018 and the fact that sustained water restrictions were required during these years.
‘‘Council staff continue to investigate more reliable water sources and are aiming to have a strategy to address this issue in place by the end of the year. It is noted the most common reason for residents opposing water restrictions is farmers/business using water without water restrictions. It is believed this is the result of a misconception independent water takes are affecting the council’s water supplies resulting in increased water restrictions.’’
The council began drilling to look for a new water supply last week.
While residents aren’t happy with what’s coming out of the tap, they are happy with council’s facilities.
The Gore Visitor Centre and Hokonui Moonshine Museum, which the council provides front-of-house services for, and the Eastern Southland Gallery achieved 99 per cent customer satisfaction.
In the report, parks and recreation Manager Ian Soper said only 3 per cent of those surveyed had not visited a council-provided facility in the preceding 12 months.
Only 48 per cent of respondents felt the mayor and councillors displayed sound and effective leadership, but 73 per cent were satisfied that the council is responding to the needs and to issues raised in the community.
The report says 241 people took the survey online and there were 383 responses to the telephone survey.
In total, 87 per cent of respondents said the Gore district is a great place to live.