The wastewater system carries liquid wastes from households, businesses and community facilities. It treats and disposes of the effluent to minimise the risk to the environment and public health.

Activity: Sewerage treatment  

Council’s vision is that the Far North’s coastal marine, river waters and lakes are healthy at all times, so that they support healthy marine and freshwater ecosystems, recreational use, fishing and shellfisheries.

Sewage treatment plants, pumping stations and reticulation systems contribute by controlling the quality of effluent and minimising the risk of sewage overflows and spills.

The work programme is driven by community expectations about the quality of our environment and the need for sustainability by reducing our overall impact on the environment, both now and in the future.

The sewerage activity is one of the core activities of Council as confirmed by statute in the Local Government Act (LGA). Generally, the LGA requires the continued operation of any sewerage system that Council operated at the time the LGA was passed and the continued operation of any new system that Council constructs after that date.

Key facts 

Council operates and maintains:

• 18 wastewater systems. 
• 17 wastewater treatment plants (11 ponds, 4 activated sludge plants). 
• 333 km of sewer pipes. 
• 150 pumping stations. 
• 9,593 properties are connected to Council’s systems. 

Council also:

• Monitors maintenance of on site sewage disposal systems.
• Provides treatment and reception services for on site septage discharged by commercial operators. 

Our major achievements in 2012/13 

Highlights of our progress during 2012/13 include:

• Council’s Long-Term Plan (LTP) envisaged a $2.8 million upgrade to the current Hihi plant. Council has spent $400,000 on a new filtration and UV system that enabled the plant to comply with the resource consent. 
• A two month community consultation on the Bay of Islands Wastewater Treatment Scheme options for treating and disposing of treated wastewater is complete. The marketing campaign “Let’s Talk Crap” was a great success, receiving over 600 submissions from the affected communities. Council are preparing, through the draft Annual Plan 2014/15 planning and decision-making process, a decision towards a positive community outcome. 
• Council have deconstructed the original Bay of Islands scheme into two smaller schemes, one for Kerikeri and Paihia, and have applied to Northland Regional Council for a reduced standard of treatment for Paihia in line with the lower than expected treatment volume. In collaboration with Transfield Services Ltd alternate treatment options have been designed and priced for upgrading the Paihia treatment ponds, as well as pricing treatment options for Kerikeri. From this work, the overall capital investment saving given acceptance by Northland Regional Council of the resource consent change, will be in the order of $9 million.
• Working with a research group at Auckland University who have developed a prototype for disinfecting treated wastewater using nano particle titanium for concentrating the ultraviolet in sunlight. A small test unit has been built to trial the effectiveness of the solution since it offers strong potential to provide a low cost solution to current high cost ultra violet treatment alternatives.
• Existing septic tanks have been replaced with new low pressure sewer systems in Awanui and Opua. 
• Feasibility study and resource consent consideration completed for the new treatment plant in Whangaroa. 
• Providing forums for better engagement with the community and informed involvements in the operation of local infrastructure. 
• Council worked with the community liaison group appointed by the Environmental Court on the proposed changes to the resource conditions for the Rawene Wastewater Treatment Scheme. The outcome was a success for Council and a community saving of $100,000 in court fees. 
• Developed a bio solids business model for Council to remove the sludge from the ponds, partially dewater and then combine the sludge with green waste, and using advanced management of a worm treatment method turn the sludge in a product suitable for land distribution. The intention is that with appropriate marketing and distribution, the sale of the enriched product recovered from the process will cover all processing costs. 
• Council has completed the installation of a new Council designed wastewater system in Kaeo leveraging the pond system. The savings from the LTP budget was over $600,000 allowing for the possibility of an ultraviolet (UV) plant addition if required. The community collaborated with staff to plant a wetland from locally sourced plant material.

Challenges we experienced 

• Cost management is a key focus for projects with a diverse range of options, including new technologies being explored and in some cases introduced. This was particularly challenging for staff, many of whom were new to the organisation, or have new roles, and therefore limited experience. Thus placing a heavy load on senior staff, requiring them being involved in detailed oversight of operational areas.
• Council lag significantly behind the larger councils when measured against some of the Asset Management Plans criteria. Council has recognised this weakness and is now advancing a project to develop an integrated Asset Management System. 
• Hot weather across the district caused low dissolved oxygen levels in many wastewater treatment ponds causing consent limits to be exceeded for short periods. Kaikohe was particularly affected by this with rising levels of algae in the ponds occurring.

Plans for the next 12 months 

• Prioritise and commence district wide inflow and infiltration assessment works.
• Commence the Kaikohe Treatment Plant upgrade.
• Creation of sludge drying facility at Kaitaia Sewerage Treatment Pond.
• The conclusions derived from the Bay of Islands Wastewater Treatment Scheme consultation with ratepayers in July/August 2013 will be used to inform and develop key cost elements in the 2014/15 Annual Plan.
• For further information go to www.letstalkcrap.co.nz