Council-owned and operated oxidation ponds across the Whakatāne District will be fenced off and escape points built in to improve site safety.
Whakatāne District Council Three Waters Project Manager Paul Check said this work will align council with its obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act and ensure that it’s taking reasonable steps to manage the safety of staff, contractors, and the public.
“In the past 10 years, 14 people have drowned in farm effluent and oxidation ponds in New Zealand,” said Mr Check.
“This includes members of the public as well as staff members who work at the ponds. There have been some high-profile incidents in the past and the owners of those oxidation ponds have been charged under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
“The existing fences around those oxidation ponds were similar to the fences we currently have in place at our own. We felt that there was more that we should be doing to manage this risk given the nature of the hazard”
“While we haven’t had an incident like this in our District, it’s best to act proactively and make the sites as safe as possible to help prevent anything like it from occurring.”
Safety improvements are planned at all five oxidation pond sites in the District. This includes Ōhope, Whakatāne, Tāneatua, Edgecumbe and Murupara. Safety measures will include 2-metre-high security fencing, escape points and more prominent signage.
“The fencing will help to prevent members of the public from accessing the sites and the escape points will allow anyone who may accidentally fall in, including our staff members, to be able to climb out from the ponds,” said Mr Check.
“The safety fencing will have the additional benefit of protecting our infrastructure from possible vandalism and damage.”
Oxidation ponds are large ponds, generally up to 1.5 m deep, and are used to treat sewage through natural biological processes.
The sunlight, bacteria and algae used kill any harmful bacteria and viruses without the need for chemicals.
The treated water is discharged appropriately, and solids are transported to be used for compost.