Heavy rain causing problems in the district

Taupo District Council staff are struggling to deal with stressed wastewater systems which are over capacity due to the heavy rain event we are currently experiencing.

Wastewater and stormwater systems are working at capacity and Council Officers are hoping for the rain to ease up to enable the systems to catch up with the volume of water entering the system.

 

Taupo

The Taupo wastewater treatment plant is currently at 100% plus due to the large volumes of stormwater entering the system. To address this problem, pump stations are working overtime. Network manager Rob Korenhof says “normally we pump around 6,400 cubic metres per day out to the land disposal site, however we are currently pumping the equivalent of 13,900 cubic meters to the land disposal site. Flow in excess in excess of pumping capacity at the Wastewater Treatment Plant is being discharged to the Waikato River via the emergency overflow.”

 

He says downstream users are currently being notified and Environment Waikato are aware of the problems.

 

“If the rain eases, this will give the pumps time to catch up with the volumes of water but if heavy rain continues there may be some isolated overflows within the Taupo area,” he says.

 

Residents are advised to apply caution where flooding is occurring and are also advised to drive to the conditions as roads may experience localised flooding.

 

The Broadlands Road Landfill was closed earlier in the day due to heavy rain causing problems with the weighbridge and surface flooding making the site unsafe. A decision on whether the Landfill can be reopened will be made in the morning after the extent of damage at the site has been assessed.

 

Mangakino

Stormwater and wastewater systems are over capacity and staff are managing flows as best as they can.

 

Turangi

The wastewater system is not currently experiencing problems however there has been some localised surface flooding during the day in Turangi and Omori. A watch is being kept on

Tokaanu and on river levels which are rising.