Land eyed for new treatment plant

END OF LIFE: The 60-year-old Whau Valley water treatment plant is nearing the end of its life. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Whangarei District Council is negotiating to buy a section of private land on Whau Valley Rd as it eyes up the location of the city's new water treatment plant.

The local authority looks set to allocate just under $18 million for the new plant in its long-term plan, to be adopted later in the month.

Acting chief executive Simon Weston said a feasibility study in 2014 showed that an empty paddock at 213 Whau Valley Rd, which was already owned by the council, was an option.

"The same study also identified other possible sites, privately owned, where a new plant might be less costly to develop.

"We are currently negotiating to purchase one of these proposed sites."

The Northern Advocate understands the prospective site is owned or co-owned by Whangarei lawyer Wayne Peters.

Mr Peters did not wish to comment on the matter.

The new facility would replace the water treatment plant on the corner of Whau Valley Rd and Fairway Drive, which would otherwise need an immediate $12.75 million upgrade and would be more costly to maintain long-term, WDC water services manager Andrew Venmore said.

Mr Venmore said benefits of building a new plant included being able to meet 100 per cent of earthquake standards rather than 67 per cent, the maximum an upgrade would achieve. There would also be more scope to expand.

A new plant would incorporate current best industry-process design, while moving out of the urban site to a less constrained one would enable safer storage of chemicals and increase accessibility.

WDC spokeswoman Ann Midson said the public would have the opportunity to have input on the proposed project during the planning process. If the project were to go ahead, it is likely the existing plant would be sold.