31 July 2008

Rural towns get funding to improve sewerage systems

Three rural communities are receiving government funding to help upgrade or install new sewerage systems, Minister for Rural Affairs and Associate Minister of Health Damien O'Connor announced today.

Oakura (Whangarei District Council), Mangawhai (Kaipara District Council) and Lumsden (Southland District Council) have all had funding approved, totalling $8.1 million under the government’s Sanitary Works Subsidy Scheme (SWSS).

Mr O’Connor said the government introduced the scheme in 2003 to help small, largely rural communities who have difficulty funding the necessary upgrades to meet public health and resource consent requirements.

"This money will help provide new sewage systems for Oakura and Mangawhai and upgraded sewerage treatment and effluent disposal facilities for Lumsden.

“These measures will ensure safe sanitary conditions and effective protection for the environment for the residents of all these communities, which have high deprivation index scores" said Mr O'Connor.

Oakura is a coastal community of 270 households and will receive $2.09 million for new sewerage reticulation and treatment.

Mangawhai is a coastal settlement. The estimated population of Mangawhai will reach over five thousand within 5 years. Mangawhai has approval for a $5.9 million subsidy for new sewerage reticulation and treatment.

Lumsden has a population of 450 and has approval for a subsidy of $184,00 to up-grade its existing sewage treatment facilities.

Work on the Mangawhai and Oakura projects is already underway and work on the Lumsden project is expected to start later this year.

“Safe, efficient and hygienic sewerage systems are vital for the health and wellbeing of people in all our communities. This funding will go a long way to establishing such sanitary conditions in our small rural communities,” said Mr O’Connor.

ENDS