Water reforms come with $46b bill

Water reforms come with $46b bill
Pattrick Smellie
Previous estimates of the cost of upgrading New Zealand’s drinking and wastewater systems are between a fifth and a 10th of the likely true cost, according to new analysis for the government’s ‘3 waters’ reform programme.Estimates that earlier put the cost of capital works to upgrade the country’s ageing water infrastructure at close to $5 billion have been revealed to cover only the upgrades of pumping stations and treatment plants.The additional cost of upgrading underground pipes — let alone extending them...

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