The Akaroa Wastewater Working Party has finished meeting for the moment after 7 grueling sessions. In the end it has proved a very worthwhile exercise, with the Council staff gaining a better understanding of the community view. Having taken another look at the treatment plant capacity, they have decided it is possible to capture and treat all the flows, even on days with heavy rain, so there should not now be the bypass flows, only treated water out-flowing from the plant. The Council is sufficiently confident in the quality of this water to suggest watering the Recreation Ground and other public areas in Akaroa with it as well as flushing the public toilets and combined these are now anticipated to use around 30% of the wastewater.

The Joint Statement from the Working Party will be released in early April and the consultation document is expected on Monday April 3. Watch the website as we will release our analysis of the consultation document and start work on a community submission as soon as possible.

In the meantime, Brent Martin and Suky Thompson, our reps on the Working Party spent almost an entire day filing all the reports and paperwork generated through the process!