The farm that will become the Arawhata wetland, adjacent to Punahau/Lake Horowhenua.
The Arawhata wetland complex project has been approved for a fast-track consenting process which will provide water quality improvements for Punahau Lake Horowhenua sooner, said Horizons Regional Council, who will be implementing the project.
The Arawhata wetland complex, which will be one of the largest constructed wetlands in New Zealand when completed, is part of a suite of actions to address water quality in the wider Horowhenua catchment.
Rachel Keedwell, co-chair of the Governance Group set up to oversee the delivery of the project and chairwoman of Horizons, said the fast-track consenting process is extremely robust.
“While fast-tracking means the process as a whole is sped up and more streamlined, the effects of the proposal put forward are assessed as robustly as they would be through the normal process,” she said.
“This will include the proposal being heard by an expert consenting panel to which the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) provides advice and administrative support to. This means the application will essentially go through the most stringent critiquing like it would through the Environment Court – by no means is it a way to cut corners.
We decided to apply for the fast-track process because we have faith in the project’s supporting evidence and comprehensive plans for construction.
“We decided to apply for the fast-track process because we have faith in the project’s supporting evidence and comprehensive plans for construction. Plus work on the wetland complex could get under way sooner, meaning water quality improvements would start earlier too.
“The application to fast track was approved by the Ministry for the Environment because it met the criteria of being shovel-ready, provides social and cultural wellbeing for current and future generations, and generates local employment.”
Co-chair Clinton Hemana said being successful with the application to fast-track is a huge milestone for the project.
“It’s good MfE accepted the project for fast-track as this project provides progress towards improvements to water quality and the cultural and ecological values for Punahau Lake Horowhenua.
“Punahau is considered a taonga by the Muaūpoko owners and an important place for the wider Horowhenua community and stakeholders, so the sooner we can get the wetland completed, the better it will be for this taonga and our people. This project is the next step in the right direction but it will be a long journey.”
Cr Keedwell says the next steps for the project team include getting the formal consent process under way.
“There will be meetings with some individuals, community groups, and other stakeholders as we start to formalise and finalise the resource consent application to submit later this year,” she says.
“We also need to refine the wetland complex design to a consenting design standard and incorporate community feedback gathered late last year. Anyone who wishes to provide further feedback, or arrange a meeting with the project team, is welcome to email Horowhenua.wetlandcomplex@horizons.govt.nz.
“I’d also like to remind the community that all information relevant to the project, including its background, external expert reports and evidence of the complex’s benefits, is available at horizons.govt.nz.
“The governance group is aware there has been some misinformation circulated within the community regarding the project and its groundwater impact – the webpage is the correct source of information for anything project related. If anyone still has concerns and wishes to discuss these further, please email the project team.
“We are really excited to progress this project and look forward to continuing to do our utmost to ensure positive solutions for the ecology in the area, landowners and our wider community.”
Once completed, the Arawhata wetland complex is expected to be one of the largest constructed wetlands in the country, creating improved habitats for native bird and fish species, along with better environmental outcomes through nutrient reduction in the Arawhata Stream, and in turn within Punahau. The complex will be built on a former dairy farm, located adjacent to Punahau.
The constructed wetland will be designed to filter phosphorus bound to sediment and reduce the concentrations of nitrogen through de-nitrification in ground and surface water before it reaches the lake.
A governance group has been established to oversee the delivery of the project, with representation from the Lake Horowhenua Trust, Muaūpoko Tribal Authority, Te Rūnanga o Raukawa, Horowhenua District Council, Ministry for the Environment, and Horizons Regional Council.
For more information about the fast-track consenting process please see: https://environment.govt.nz/acts-and-regulations/acts/covid-19-recovery-act-2020/
To see the approval for the Arawhata wetland see: https://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/2020/0255/latest/LMS865580.html.