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An act of defiance against Metrowater

       Press Release  Auckland Water Pressure Group 11/06/99 09:00:00

       Chaucer Place, a usually quiet cul de sac in Avondale, - where residents and the
       local Primary school are boycotting their wastewater charges - is set to become the
       focus of struggle between Metrowater Ltd and their opponents, this Saturday.

       Following earlier restrictions and removal of the meter from the family at 4 Chaucer
       Place, Metrowater last week dug up the street main and removed the supply line,
       forcing the three generation household to go without water.

       Water Pressure Group spokespersons Penny Bright and Jim Gladwin said today:
       "The Water Pressure Group has now enlisted almost 800 members and a
       substantially larger number of people are disputing their wastewater bills and refusing
       to pay. In the past two weeks Metrowater have been cutting off customers by digging
       up the streets and disconnecting the supply lines from the mains - in many cases
       damaging or removing entire fittings. This extraordinary degree of 'overkill' shows that
       Metrowater is desperate."

       "When the Chaucer Place family was left without water last week, the Water
       Pressure Group helped by having its turn-on squad redig the roadside and install new
       plumbing to reinstate the supply. Now Metrowater has returned and disconnected it
       again - and walked away with our fittings." they said.

       "Enough is enough! This Saturday at 1pm we are going to have a mass rally in
       Chaucer Place. We have invited every City Councillor and the media - the police and
       firefighters are also welcome should they choose to attend. Our intention is
       re-excavate the main, once again restore the supply and then to completely bury the
       plumbing and mains-joint in concrete. We aim to prevent further disconnections by
       forming Street Defence Committees - a sort of Neighbourhood Watch, with teeth. The
       intention being, if Metrowater sub-contractors are spotted, residents will prevent their
       tampering with water supplies" they continued.

       "Metrowater continues in their arrogance by cutting off water to people who have paid
       for that supply, and in spite of the fact that a dispute exists over wastewater charging.
       Until that dispute is settled, we insist that the water supplies continue. The issue will
       not be finally resolved however, until those Councllors who promised and pledged to
       abolish Metrowater at the election eight months ago debate the issue in council and
       dump Metrowater at this years annual plan. We are pulling out all stops over the
       following three weeks while Council decides on the next year's plan." Penny Bright
       and Jim Gladwin concluded.