Whangarei District Council wants to dump up to 140,000cu m of treated sewage a day into Limeburners' Creek during emergencies.
It has been mulling over the issue for about a year and has re-applied for resource consent.
An amended application has been lodged with the Northland Regional Council, which is now receiving
written submissions.
Submitters have to state if they are for or against the plans, or have a neutral stand.
Early last year, WDC applied for a five-year renewal of its consent to allow for up to 24,000cu m of untreated sewage - enough to fill 10 Olympic-sized pools - a day into Whangarei Harbour during wet weather flows.
But the application was put on hold after WDC signalled its intention to amend information in it and asked for time to do that.
It also wanted a new consent so it could construct a sewage outfall from the Butter Factory Lane sewage manhole into the Waiarohia Stream, at Railway Rd, again for use in emergencies.
But works and services manager Simon Weston yesterday said that new application was on hold.
"It may well be that we withdraw that application," he said.
The WDC intends to install new pipes at Okara Park pump station and a rising main from there to its wastewater treatment plant at an estimated cost of between $4 million and $5 million. The project is due for completion by March this year.
Up to 21,000cu m is discharged daily during a normal flow, up to 30,400cu m at medium wet weather and 57,400cu m during high wet weather flows.
About $20 million is needed to reduce sewage overflows to once every 10 years and an estimated $184 million to replace the entire ageing wastewater system.
The NRC will organise hearings for submitters who wish to be heard.
Submission forms are available from the regional council and submissions need to be in to the NRC by February 4.
