The small Waikato township of Waitoa is losing its long-term access to free water. 

The local Fonterra factory is ending its more than 40-year old arrangement to supply locals water - originally to serve homes affected by factory dust. 

Matamata-Piako District Council is consulting the public on an 8.2-million proposed solution.

Mayor Ash Tanner says Fonterra likely wants to avoid responsibility for anyone getting sick. 

"The problem I think we have in this country is - there's an incident, and then we have a bit of a knee-jerk reaction and then we set up a regulatory body to overlook it and then we go over the top and we make it harder to supply it."

LISTEN ABOVE

The small Waikato township of Waitoa is losing its long-term access to free water.&nbsp;
The local Fonterra factory is ending its more than 40-year old arrangement to supply locals water - originally to serve homes affected by factory dust.&nbsp;
Matamata-Piako District Council is consulting the public on an 8.2-million proposed solution.
Mayor Ash Tanner says Fonterra likely wants to avoid responsibility for anyone getting sick.&nbsp;
"The problem I think we have in this country is - there's an incident, and then we have a bit of a knee-jerk reaction and then we set up a regulatory body to overlook it and then we go over the top and we make it harder to supply it."
LISTEN ABOVE

With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Ash Tanner: Matamata-Piako mayor on Waitoa losing long-term access to free water

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/bd6bf5ee-f433-481f-b522-b4330068864f/transcript