Far North council wants renewed consent for wastewater plant

Far North District Council has applied for a renewed resource consent to run the Kaitāia Wastewater Treatment Plant and associated sludge storage facility

The Far North District Council wants to renew its resource consent to run the Kaitāia Wastewater Treatment Plant and discharge treated wastewater into the Awanui River.

It has applied to Northland Regional Council to renew the resource consents for the continued operation of the plant that services the township of Kaitāia and the adjacent sludge storage facility.

The resource consents being applied for are:

Kaitāia Wastewater Treatment Plant:

■ The discharge of treated wastewater to the Awanui River;

■ The discharge of contaminants (primarily odour) to air from the wastewater treatment plant;

■ The discharge of treated wastewater to land via seepage from the wastewater treatment plant.

Sludge storage facility:

■ Discharge contaminants to land by way of seepage from the base of the sludge storage facility.

■ Discharge contaminants to air (primarily odour) from the sludge storage facility.

Kaitāia Wastewater Treatment Plant, off Bonnett Rd, services the township of Kaitāia and the adjacent sludge storage facility

The regional council said if a hearing is required, the district council has requested that independent commissioners are appointed to the hearing panel, including at least one commissioner with an understanding of tikanga Māori and of the perspectives of local iwi or hapū.

Anybody wanting to make a submission on the application must do so on or before March 28.

People can send a submission to Private Bag 9021, Whangārei Mail Centre, Whangārei 0148; or e-mail the submission to info@nrc.govt.nz.

The full public notice and application documents may be viewed on the regional council’s webpage at https://www.nrc.govt.nz/consents/notified-resource-consents/ and also at its office in Kaitāia.