Watercare boss Raveen Jaduram says focusing on salary contributed to resignation

By RNZ

The outgoing executive director of the Auckland water authority says an unnecessary focus on his salary contributed to his resignation.

Raveen Jaduram resigned in August. Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said the new CEO would start with a salary considerably lower than the nearly $ 780,000 paid to Jaduram.

Jaduram told Morning Report that there were several reasons for his resignation.

“The only thing that pushed me over the table was the unnecessary, in my opinion and in the opinion of my family, to focus on my salary.

“It was a distraction for me, but more importantly it was a distraction for Watercare.

“I don’t set my salary and unfortunately the media attention was somehow trying to suggest that I had set my own salary, which was somehow related to the drought.

“Being paid half of what they pay me or double what they pay me does not change the amount of rain that falls in Auckland.”

Jaduram said he did not believe there was discontent among the Watercare staff regarding his salary.

He said he would not leave Auckland in the lurch.

“We are spending just over $ 200 million that were not in our budget to bring additional water sources on board; by July we will have about 100 million additional liters of water per day than in May this year.”

Jaduram said the storage dams were 67.5% full, 20% less than normal.

However, Auckland residents had reduced demand more than anticipated, the capacity of the Waikato treatment plant has been increased and by Christmas an additional 40 megaliters per day will enter the system.

“With all that in mind, we are saying that if we can get to 75 percent by the end of October, that would be a good place to be.”