Pakaraka Stock Truck Effluent Disposal Facility Will Make Roads Cleaner and Safer

A new stock truck effluent disposal facility near Pakaraka should help to make the district’s highways cleaner and safer.

The Far North District Council and New Zealand Transport Agency commissioned a $140,000 facility on State Highway One between Pakaraka and Moerewa on September 23.

The facility will give stock trucks a place to empty effluent holding tanks, reducing spillages which make road surfaces slippery and contribute to the formation of pot holes.

The agency’s regional director for Auckland and Northland Stephen Town says the facility will benefit Northland’s farming communities and road users.

"The safety dividend for drivers will be enormous,” says Mr Town.

“The spillage of untreated, concentrated effluent onto a state highway is always dangerous and often finds its way into nearby waterways, harming the environment.

The facility, which was jointly funded by the agency and the council after the Regional Transport Committee identified a need for one in the Far North, will also help protect the district’s reputation as an unspoilt holiday destination.

"Keeping the highways cleaner helps to make the drive around Northland more enjoyable for tourists and families on holiday.”

The Pakaraka facility complements one the agency opened at Wellsford in 2009.

The agency also spent $150,000 improving weighbridge facilities and reconstructing the adjacent highway at the Pakaraka site.