The Whakatāne District Council has approved additional funding to refine the proposal for an integrated wastewater solution for the Matatā, Edgecumbe and Whakatāne communities.

Council agreed at its 17 December meeting to approve further expenditure estimated at $225,000 to refine the project costs and prepare the Design Review Report for submission to the Ministry of Health.

In October this year, the Projects and Services Committee received a report on the Matatā wastewater project summarising a work programme which assessed 127 options for the delivery of a wastewater scheme for Matatā. The preferred option was for a strategic solution integrating Matatā wastewater reticulation with existing infrastructure. That would involve pumping raw sewage from Matatā to Edgecumbe; upgrading the Edgecumbe treatment ponds; pumping the combined treated wastewater from both towns to the Whakatāne oxidation ponds (just prior to their final discharge point), where flocculent and UV treatment would be introduced; and disposal via the Whakatāne scheme's existing ocean outfall. 

Since the October meeting, key stakeholders have been informed about the proposal. Those preliminary discussions have highlighted affordability for the community as the key concern, with other issues to be addressed including the location of the pump stations, cross-rohe conveyance of wastewater, and potential environmental impacts. Strong support has also been shown for the strategic approach and the potential improvements to the Edgecumbe wastewater oxidation ponds and the final wastewater discharge quality from the Whakatāne oxidation ponds.

Whakatāne Mayor Tony Bonne says Council is taking a prudent approach to resolving wastewater management issues, and the decision to further refine the project detail and costs reflects this. "Affordability to the community is the key determinant of whether or not the project will proceed, and that is largely dependent on the availability of additional funding from the Ministry of Health and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council," he says. "We’re working closely with both partners to secure the funding required."

The Council has now formally updated the Associate Minister of Health on the proposal and will commence the preparation of a Design Review Report and Business Case, to be submitted by 28 February 2016. Council staff will also prepare a funding application to the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.