9 November 2011

Napier community wastewater consent granted

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has granted consent to the Napier City Council to discharge treated wastewater into Hawke Bay at Awatoto via a marine outfall.

The 25 year consent will replace the current consent and see the domestic and non-separable industrial wastewater stream treated through a biological trickling filter plant, which is the same system used by the Hastings District Council.

The consent application was publically notified in June of this year and the decision made by a hearings panel was issued to all parties on November 7. The panel was made up of two independent commissioners, Rauru Kirikiri and Martin Williams, and chaired by Hawke’s Bay Regional Councillor Christine Scott.

The main concerns of submitters were carefully considered, and all expert evidence presented to the panel confirmed the effects of the discharge of wastewater from the treatment plant over the last 38 years have been no more than minor.

Group Manager Resource Management, Iain Maxwell, says the use of a new biological trickling filter plant along with a range of conditions will lead to a distinct improvement in the effluent quality over the existing discharge. In addition, he says, there are ongoing developments with the industrial onsite wastewater treatment through technological advances and provision has been for further upgrades.

There will be thorough monitoring of the marine outfall and treatment plant by regional council compliance staff throughout the duration of the consent.

All parties involved now have until 28 November to lodge an appeal directly with the Environment Court.

ENDS

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