Source: Radio New Zealand
The Kawarau River. 123rf
Queenstown’s mayor says pumping treated wastewater into the “pristine” Kawarau River is the council’s only realistic option.
Queenstown Lakes District councillors agreed on Thursday to lodge a 35-year resource consent application for discharge from the Shotover Wastewater Treatment Plant, while staff keep looking for alternative solutions to the region’s wastewater woes.
It comes after emergency discharges from the treatment plant to the Shotover River.
The discharges sparked community backlash and ultimately saw the Environment Court order the council to come up with a long-term solution by the end of May.
The mayor John Glover told Morning Report it was a difficult decision that would see treated wastewater pumped into the Kawarau rather than the Shotover River.
“I don’t think anybody recognises that what we’re moving forward with is what we want to do. I mean, it’s the case of there are no – at the moment – no realistic other options.”
Under the $77.5 million plan – recommended by staff and supported by most councillors – advanced filters would be installed at the treatment plant, and a 1.4km pipeline built to carry the treated wastewater to a rock outfall structure on the Kawarau River.
The decided-upon plan was strongly opposed by Ngāi Tahu, with iwi representatives stating the direct discharge of human waste to nature water was “abhorrent”.
Glover said council staff were also directed to investigate land-based solutions as most people understood – particularly Wellingtonians after the catastrophic failure at Moa Point – that discharging to waterways carried risk.
“So in the long-term, if we’re able to discharge to land, that’s obviously going to be the preferred solution. It certainly aligns with the preferred option for mana whenua.
“In a district where land is very expensive … it’s a challenge. But I think we owe it to future generations to do more and look at other options.”
He conceded that such a solution wouldn’t happen time soon.
In response to criticism that the council had failed over successive years to address wastewater issues, Glover said the current situation was the culmination of investment decisions, management of plants, and unknown technology.
“What has happened has happened. But it doesn’t take away from the fact that around New Zealand and elsewhere in the world, the primary route to deal with our discharge, with our treated wastewater is to pump it into the sea or pump it into a river.”
He said the environmental impacts would be assessed through the consent process.
“Because of the pristine environment of the river that the council are looking to discharge into there will be a consenting process, those environmental impacts will be tested.”
He said the Local Government Act means the impact on local mana whenua would also be taken into account.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
