A handbook to advise local authorities on options for sewage treatment and disposal is to be funded and developed by the Ministry for the Environment.

The Minister for the Environment, Marian Hobbs said the Government has agreed to spend $200,000 on the project over two years as part of Budget initiatives proposed by the Green Party.

Green Party Co-Leader, Jeanette Fitzsimons and Marian Hobbs acknowledged that small communities need help to investigate systems suitable for their needs.

"There is a clear need for a publicly available resource that provides both up-to-date, accurate information about sewerage options and a model 'decision' path for choosing amongst them," Jeanette Fitzsimons said.

"Small communities throughout New Zealand are facing difficult decisions between on-site treatment and reticulation, land and water disposal, and a range of other options which include a number of new technologies.

“This handbook will bring together all the latest information about the treatment options and involving local communities in the decision-making process. It will save councils all over New Zealand from duplicating the same work from scratch."

Marian Hobbs said the Ministry for the Environment will develop the project and involve those communities most likely to make use of the resource.

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