Tourism, water, wastewater and waste services in small towns

Abstract

This is a two-part report on research completed during 2003/2004 in Hanmer Springs and Kaikoura. The research was conducted by the Tourism Recreation Research and Education Centre (TRREC) at Lincoln University. Hanmer Springs and Kaikoura are small towns and cater for steadily increasing numbers of tourists each year - now in excess of one million visits per year to Kaikoura. The research, funded by the Ministry of Economic Development and Canterbury Development Corporation, included four seven-day snapshot studies (in July 2003, October 2003 and December/January 2004) of water, wastewater and waste services in the townships. Tourists directly and indirectly use the water, wastewater and solid waste services provided by the District Councils in those townships. The research also examines the funding of the water, wastewater and solid waste systems in the township. A particular focus is tourism demand for these services.Part One of the report studies the rates and charges used at present in each of the townships to fund these services. Part Two of the report provides a Toolkit to aid Territorial Local Authorities (TLAs) in the management of water, wastewater and solid wastes in small townships. The Toolkit developed is the culmination of four intensive seven-day snapshot studies completed in Hanmer Springs and Kaikoura during 2003-2004.