Source: Radio New Zealand
Untreated water was leaking onto the capital’s south coast beaches. (File photo) RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Experts are being flown in from Australia to help assess damage at the Moa Point wastewater treatment plant.
Wellington Water said over the past 24 hours, the short 5-metre pipe close to the shoreline had not been spewing raw sewage, and the long outfall pipe was being used instead.
On 4 February the plant failed – sending millions of litres of raw sewage into Cook Strait every day.
This map shows the Moa Point sewage spill along Wellington’s south coast. The pipeline network is shown in red, including the 5-metre and 1.8-kilometre long outfall pipes discharging to the ocean. Supplied, CC BY-NC-ND
In an update on Thursday, Wellington Water said due to heavy rain this past Monday, bacteria levels around the plant’s short outfall pipe and southern coast beaches had increased.
“Public health advice remains the same: it is strongly recommended for the public stay out of the water on the South coast of Wellington. Do not collect kai moana,” it said.
It said it hadn’t found any structural issues with the long outfall pipe – such as a blockage – which was restricting flow through the pipe.
Wellington Water said it was trying to increase the volume of sewage that could be pumped to the long pipe – because after its equipment failure – it can’t cope in wet weather.
It expected construction work on a large air vent on the outfall pipe to begin this weekend, with the aim this will help improve the flow through the long pipe.
“Workers are onsite at Moa Point, continuing to assess the damage, working to manage odour, and manage network flows.
“As part of the damage assessment, experts are being flown in from Sydney to assist.”
Wellington Water also warned residents about a stink coming from the plant since it failed.
It said crews were clearing wastewater and sludge from the plant as quickly as possible, and it expected that to be done by early March.
“Odour monitors are being installed to measure the impact at sites surrounding the plant. We have one unit available and will confirm when this is in place.”
Meanwhile, the water operator had warned residents living near the southern landfill of an increased bad smell on Thursday, as it carried out unplanned work at the Carey’s Gully sludge dewatering plant.
“Carey’s Gully usually manages the sludge from the Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant,” it said.
“Because the plant is currently closed, the sludge tanks at Carey’s Gully are not being used and so the unplanned maintenance involves draining these tanks.”
The work should be completed by the end of Thursday, it said.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
