Mackenzie District Council to introduce user-pays system at five toilet facilities

The Mackenzie District Council has approved a new toilet strategy that will introduce user-pays systems at five public facilities. This decision follows a report presented by general manager Matthew Lanyon regarding high maintenance costs and the disproportionate impact of tourist infrastructure on local ratepayers.

The proposed user-pays sites include facilities on Fairlie’s Main Street, Burkes Pass, Lakeside Drive in Tekapo, and Twizel’s main centre. A pilot program for user-pays facilities will also be proposed for the Lake Pukaki site on Meridian Energy land.

To assist with costs, the council approved electronic donation technology using QR codes for district public facilities and freedom campgrounds. Mayor Scott Aronsen described the move as "history making stuff".

The district's toilets see approximately 900,000 users annually, generating $80,000 in revenue against $800,000 in operating costs. Mayor Aronsen noted that current user-pays toilets have faced issues such as people avoiding them to use free facilities, tourists entering cafes without purchasing anything, and human waste being left behind toilets.

Where reports differ

• One report specifies the Pukaki toilets are one of three existing user-pays sites, while others list them as a proposed pilot site

Compiled from reports by The Press, Stuff and 1News.