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, comfortably under the 300 m³ free allowance built into the annual levy.
How it's run
The scheme is owned and 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 done by a volunteer committee. Specialist work and water-quality monitoring is handled by LiquidAction Ltd and sub-contractors.
The system was originally installed around 1977 by a developer, then operated by the Marlborough District Council, before residents took ownership in 1997.