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Hearing Committee Grants Consent for Woodville Sewage Discharge

Thursday 22 November 2007, 12:13PM

By Tararua District Council

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WOODVILLE

A decision by the Horizons Regional Council hearings committee to grant a term of consent for discharge upgrades from the Woodville sewage treatment plant into the Mangaatua Stream until 31 March 2011 has pleased Tararua District Council manager district assets Stephen Taylor.


The council had taken issue with Horizons Regional Council because its staff had previously recommended only 12 months – to 31 December 2008 - for the council to complete necessary upgrades to the plant.


But the hearings committee’s Interim Decision has agreed with Tararua District Council’s request for a longer term although not until 31 December 2012 as requested.


Mr Taylor said “the decision justified Tararua’s stance on the matter as the council would then have sufficient data to ‘efficiently’ apply for its new consent.”


While the council had agreed to most of the requirements prior to the original consent being granted it had queried the 12 month time frame and requested an extension to 2012 in order to undertake and monitor the upgrades, however some requirements relating to the proposed One Plan were not included in the final decision.


The Hearing Committee commented that “we find it inappropriate to impose the water quality standards of the Proposed One Plan (POP) or to base compliance with the water quality standards of the MCWQ (Manawatu Catchment Water Quality) on the provisions of the POP which was in its statutory infancy.”


By supporting Tararua’s stance on the longer term the hearings committee had enabled the council to undertake the upgrading of the scheme in a logical and efficient manner.


“This will now ensure long term improvements in water quality within the Mangaatua Stream,” Mr Taylor said.


Among the conditions the council has to meet is a requirement to reduce the level of e coli bacteria and phosphorus into the stream.


Tararua District Council accepted that the upgrade was necessary in order to meet the current water quality standards.


Faced with expired consents for five other treatment plants - Pahiatua, Eketahuna, Pongaroa, Ormondville and Norsewood - Mr Taylor said the decision of the hearings committee was “significant”.


“Tararua can now progress these consents and will upgrade to meet future requirements to the best of its ability.”