Our story
A community taking care of its own water.
Rarangi is a seaside settlement 15 km north of Blenheim, on the eastern coast of the Marlborough Sounds. The North Rarangi area is home to ~70 houses and 11 undeveloped sections — all permanent residences, all on septic tanks, with no commercial activity.
Every home is connected to a metered supply drawn from the Rarangi Shallow Aquifer. Typical household use is around 200 m³ a year— within the 300 m³ allowance included in the annual levy. Scheme-wide, water use is monitored closely: the aquifer is a low-yielding source and the scheme operates under a Marlborough District Council resource consent capped at 100 m³ per day, so careful, efficient use matters year-round.
How it's run
The scheme is operated by North Rarangi Water Supply Inc., an incorporated society formed by residents in October 1997. Day-to-day work — meter reading, billing, minor repairs — is handled by a volunteer committee. Specialist work and water-quality monitoring is contracted to LiquidAction Ltd and sub-contractors.
Running a small water scheme is increasingly demanding — drinking-water regulations, monitoring requirements and aging infrastructure all take time, money and expertise. The committee works closely with Marlborough District Counciland the water regulator on the scheme's long-term path forward.
The system was originally installed around 1977 by a developer, then operated by the Marlborough District Council, before residents took ownership in 1997.