Introduction
The Christchurch City Council is planning a new wastewater treatment system for Wainui, Banks Peninsula. There are two stages to the project; the first to stop the discharge of treated wastewater into Akaroa Harbour, and the second to provide Wainui homes and businesses with a wastewater collection system.
Plans for a new wastewater system and treatment plant for the area have been ongoing for the past 20 years.
After amalgamation with the Banks Peninsula District Council, the Christchurch City Council picked up the project and has been progressing it since late 2006
Project objectives
A letter to all Wainui households was hand delivered in January 2010. It provided an update on the project to improve the way Wainui's wastewater is managed, and the timeframes for the work.
The project
Stage 1 - To stop all discharge of wastewater into the harbour.
The existing consent to discharge into the harbour expired in October 2009 and a short extension has been applied for.
The design is underway to stop the existing discharge into the harbour. Instead of discharging to the sea, the treated water will be pumped by two new pump stations to an irrigation network that will be laid in the forest above the town.
A resource consent has been gained for the full wastewater scheme however, an appeal to the Consent has been lodged. The appeal is now in process and has affected the Stage I completion date. An extension to the original discharge consent has been granted. Design for stage I has been completed and this will be tendered once the consent appeal has been heard.
Stage 2 - To provide the Wainui area with a reticulated wastewater disposal system.
The Council will begin the final design of the system starting in July 2012.
The Council's philosophy is to work closely with residents to produce a system that serves the community, keeps the environment clean and is relatively invisible.
There are two options that the Council is considering that will both take wastewater from the homes in Wainui to the new wastewater treatment plant.
The treatment process selected will be the one that best suits the environment, results in the best quality of treatment, and keeps noise and odour to below our resource consent conditions.
Option 1
Pumping untreated wastewater from each property or group of properties to a new treatment plant.
Option 2
Pumping treated wastewater (STEP) from each property or group of properties to a new treatment plant.
Stage 2 construction will be completed in June 2014.
More information on the chosen option will be available on this web site and by mail to residents, once the options have been considered.
Contact us
City Water and Waste
Phone: (03) 941 8999 or 0800 800 169 (Banks Peninsula residents)
Email: info@ccc.govt.nz
