Information about damage caused by leak
Hugh Davenport made this Official Information request to Wellington City Council
The request was partially successful.
From: Hugh Davenport
Dear Wellington City Council,
On August 22, 9:11am, I sent a FixIt request to the council about a leak on the corner of Aro St and Ohiro Road. I estimate that it was probably leaking around 250ml in a minute, but this is a rough estimate.
After seeing the council made no action to resolve this leak, I also sent in FixIt requests on August 30, and September 2.
I'm concerned that the negligence of the council has lead to damage to the street due to the lack of action of the council. At a rate of 250ml per minute, after 2 weeks (now), this will have leaked around 5L of water underneath, and on top of the road, and also into the storm water system. I'm concerned that this will be causing erossion issues with water leaking under the road, and a sinkhole could occur (such as https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zeala...) which would cause a lot of remedial work to be done to fix the hole.
The first contact I've had from the council about this was this morning when I was called by Wellington Water (contractor for WCC, subject to s2(6) of the LGOIMA), who said that they were visiting the leak today due it becoming "more severe" overnight. This was 2 weeks after I first reported it.
So, for this request, I would like to know the following:
1. When was this leak first reported to the council. If it was before August 22, then please amend my calculations above.
2. What was the flow rate the council determined for the leak. If this was different from 250ml per minute, then please amend my calculations above.
3. When did the council first perform a site visit for the leak (including contractors), and what was the outcome of that initial site visit.
4. What is the estimated cost of fixing the leak at the time it was first reported
5. What is the estimated cost to the environment of fixing the leak at the time it was first reported. I would imagine that the council have this information due to using a "climate change lens" on everything they do now (https://wellington.govt.nz/your-council/...).
6. What is the total cost spent so far visiting the leak, and fixing the leak?
7. If the leak is still not fixed, then what is the estimated cost of fixing the leak now, ontop of the total cost spent so far.
8. What is the total environmental cost so far from the council visiting the leak and fixing the leak? I note again that the council likely has this information ready due to the use of a "climate change lens" for everything the council does.
9. If the leak is still not fixed, then what is the current flow rate, and what environmental cost will this incur by not fixing the leak?
10. What remedial actions need to take place (such as engineers report to determine erosion damage to the road), and what is the expected cost for such remedial actions?
11. What environmental costs are expected for any remedial actions needed from step 10.
From this response, we can determine whether the council has wasted rate payer funds due to their negligence. This can be determined by taking the costs from 6, 7 and 10, and subtracting the cost from 4. If this is above zero, the council has ended up spending more money due to their negligence. If this is the case, I would like to request the following in addition:
12. What are the councils plans for informing the ratepayers of Wellington that they are misusing the ratepayer funds?
13. What is the council doing to ensure that this wastage of ratepayer funds is not done in the future?
Additionally, from this response we can determine whether the council are indeed taking their declaration of a climate emergency seriously. If we take the costs from 8, 9 and 11, and subtract the cost from 5. If this is above zero, then the council has ended up damaging the environment more than if they chose to fix the leak in a timely manner. If this is the case, I would like to request the following in addition:
14. What are the councils plans to ensure that the "climate change lens" is applied appropriately so that in future there is minimal cost to the environment.
15. What are the councils plans for informing the ratepayers of Wellington that they are failing at applying the "climate change lens" as suggested by the declaration of a climate emergency.
Yours faithfully,
Hugh Davenport
From: BUS: Assurance
Wellington City Council
Dear Hugh
Thank you for your email dated 5 September 2019 requesting information.
Our team will manage your request under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 which requires us to respond as soon as possible, but no later than 3 October 2019.
The reference number for your request is IRO-9030.
Please contact us if you have any further questions.
Kind regards
Jessica Hall
Assurance Services Coordinator | Wellington City Council
P +64 (0)4 801 4178 | M +64278030345
E [email address] | W Wellington.govt.nz | |
The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential and intended for the addressee only.
If you are not the intended recipient, you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not disclose, copy or make use of its contents.
If received in error you are asked to destroy this email and contact the sender immediately. Your assistance is appreciated.
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From: BUS: Assurance
Wellington City Council
Dear Mr Davenport
Thank you for your email dated 5 September.
This email is to advise you that we will be transferring part of your request to Wellington Water Limited to respond too.
Please see attached letter for further details.
Kind Regards
Asha Harry
Assurance Advisor | Complaints & Information Assurance | Wellington City Council
P +64 4 9171002 | E [email address] | W Wellington.govt.nz | |
The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential and intended for the addressee only.
If you are not the intended recipient, you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not disclose, copy or make use of its contents.
If received in error you are asked to destroy this email and contact the sender immediately. Your assistance is appreciated.
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From: Hugh Davenport
Dear BUS: Assurance,
Thank you, it would have been ideal if this was done within the first 10 working days as required by the LGOIMA. Look forward to the two responses.
Yours sincerely,
Hugh Davenport
Hugh Davenport left an annotation ()
Complaint to the Ombudsman:
Delayed transferal to another agency. It was meant to be within 10 working days (19th Sept), rather than 13 working days (24th Sept). This isn't an urgent complaint, just filing it as another example of WCC not following the LGOIMA.
Cheers,
Hugh
From: BUS: Assurance
Wellington City Council
Dear Hugh
Thank you for your email dated 5 September 2019.
Please see attached response to your request regarding the water leak on the corner of Aro Street and Ohiro Road.
If you have any questions please let me know.
Kind Regards
Asha Harry
Assurance Advisor | Complaints & Information Assurance | Wellington City Council
P +64 4 9171002 | E [email address] | W Wellington.govt.nz | |
The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential and intended for the addressee only.
If you are not the intended recipient, you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not disclose, copy or make use of its contents.
If received in error you are asked to destroy this email and contact the sender immediately. Your assistance is appreciated.
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From: Hugh Davenport
Dear BUS: Assurance,
As you haven't given me any contact details for Wellington Water Limited which you transferred this request to, could you please give me some details, or follow up with them (as they are your contractors), as I have not heard anything from them, and they were legally required to respond by 22 Oct 2019.
Yours sincerely,
Hugh Davenport
From: BUS: Assurance
Wellington City Council
Dear Hugh
Thank you for your email.
I have contacted Wellington Water to chase up on your behalf.
Should you need to contact them you can use [email address]
Kind Regards
Asha Harry
Assurance Advisor | Complaints & Information Assurance | Wellington City Council
P +64 4 9171002 | E [email address] | W Wellington.govt.nz | |
The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential and intended for the addressee only.
If you are not the intended recipient, you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not disclose, copy or make use of its contents.
If received in error you are asked to destroy this email and contact the sender immediately. Your assistance is appreciated.
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From: Alexander van Paassen
Hi Hugh, Wellington City Council has just been in touch to advise that you
have not received responses to the questions they transferred to us. I’m
very sorry we didn’t get these out the door to you when we should have.
The responses are below, with numbers referring to your original queries
and the transfer letter (attached).
If you have any further question for us, feel free to contact us via
[1][email address].
Kind regards
Alex
2. What was the flow rate the council determined for the leak. If this was
different from 250ml per minute, then please amend my calculations above.
- We didn't measure it.
3. When did the council first perform a site visit for the leak (including
contractors), and what was the outcome of that initial site visit.
- 4 December 2018; a water sample was collected that, once results came
back, suggested it was groundwater.
4. What is the estimated cost of fixing the leak at the time it was first
reported
- We cannot estimate this cost. All this work is carried out by a mix of
internal and external resource that is not charged on a per-job basis.
6. What is the total cost spent so far visiting the leak, and fixing the
leak?
- See response to Q4
8. What is the total environmental cost so far from the council visiting
the leak and fixing the leak? I note again that the council likely has
this information ready due to the use of a "climate change lens" for
everything the council does.
- We don't have this information.
10. What remedial actions need to take place (such as engineers report to
determine erosion damage to the road), and what is the expected cost for
such remedial actions?
- Water testing, leak detection and repairs have been carried out.
11. What environmental costs are expected for any remedial actions needed
from step 10.
- As for Question 8, we don’t have environmental cost information for this
kind of activity.
12. What are the councils plans for informing the ratepayers of Wellington
that they are misusing the ratepayer funds?
- With respect to ratepayer funding applied to Wellington Water, this
funding is not being mis-used.
Alexander van Paassen Manager, Community Engagement
[2]cid:image001.jpg@01D4446A.CB455DD0
Tel +64 4 912 4400 DDI 912 4444 [mobile number]
Private Bag 39804, Wellington Mail Centre 5045
Level 4, IBM House, 25 Victoria Street, Petone, Lower Hutt
[3]www.wellingtonwater.co.nz
Wellington Water is owned by the Hutt, Porirua, Upper Hutt and Wellington
city councils, the South Wairarapa District Council and Greater Wellington
Regional Council.
We manage their drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services.
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Caution The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential and intended for the addressee only.
If you are not the intended recipient, you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not disclose, copy or make use of its contents.
If received in error you are asked to destroy this email and contact the sender immediately. Your assistance is appreciated.
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
3. Wellington Water Website
http://www.wellingtonwater.co.nz/
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Hugh Davenport left an annotation ()
Actually this was 5000L in 2 weeks
Link to this