Ruakaka Wastewater Project

Listed below is detailed information and studies for the Ruakaka Wastewater Project.

Stage 1

The existing treatment plant and disposal areas have limited capacity and their resource consents expire in 2018.  Over the last 3-4 years we have been consulting with community and key stakeholder groups over the options for providing future wastewater treatment and disposal capacity.

Four treatment and disposal options were short listed for further study.  These options were:

• land disposal with a medium – high level of treatment
• disposal to the ocean via an ocean outfall with a medium level of treatment
• indirect discharge to the Ruakaka River medium – high level of treatment
• discharge to the Whangarei Harbour with a high level of treatment.

This part of the project is referred to as the Stage 1 Study.

Stage 2

From the Stage 1 Study these options were further investigated with the objective of selecting one of the options for detailed studies.  A set of Project Objectives and a Wastewater Strategy were developed in consultation with the community.  From this work a preferred scheme was developed which is made up of a new treatment plant with a high level of treatment, the development of wastewater reuse opportunities and an ocean outfall.

The preferred scheme was then subject to further engineering and environmental studies to assess the environmental effects of such a scheme. This work helped identify how to provide for wastewater reuse, further disposal of wastewater to land and the location of the proposed ocean outfall.  From this, the Draft Proposed Scheme was developed and approved by Council in December 2010 for further consultation.

Further community consultation was then undertaken from then until May 2011. Council then considered and approved the Proposed Scheme together with the application version of the Assessment of Effects on the Environment and the associated Resource Consent Applications.

Applications for the nine resource consents and the supporting Assessment of Effects on the Environment for the Proposed Scheme were lodged with the Northland Regional Council (NRC) on 24th May 2011. It is proposed that the applications will be publicly notified on 7th July 2011 with submissions closing with the NRC on 4th August 2011.

The funding to support the project is reviewed every three years in line with the Long Term Plan (LTP) and based on actual growth will be brought forward or deferred.

The current programmed capital works dates set within the LTP are during the period 2015-17. These relate primarily to the construction of the first stage of a new wastewater treatment plant.

Viewing the documents

The individual documents for stage 1 and 2 are listed under the headings below. Select from the list by clicking on the '+' to display the contents of each section. 

Each individual document opens in a new window.

Stage 1 Ruakaka Wastewater Project reports

These reports cover the investigations undertaken to develop the four short listed options that were taken through to the Stage 2 of the project.

Stage 2 Ruakaka Wastewater Project reports and documents

These references include reports by lead consultants MWH, specialist cultural engineering, environmental and scientific studies, newsletters and reports to Council.  These all support the Assessment of Environmental Effects and the nine resource consent applications.

Within Stage 2 - Environmental and Engineering Studies, each study report has a corresponding support document number (SD) referred to in the Assessment of Effects on the Environment report (May 2011)