The withdrawal of consent applications for discharging wastewater into Lake Rotorua comes with the new partnership. Photo / File
The withdrawal of consent applications for discharging wastewater into Lake Rotorua comes with the new partnership. Photo / File
A long-term solution for the discharge of Rotorua's recovered wastewater is being sought by three stakeholders - resulting in the application to withdraw current consent applications in front of the Environment Court.
Rotorua Lakes Council, CNI Iwi Holdings and Te Arawa Lakes Trust are now working collaboratively, the council saidin a statement released on Friday afternoon.
In the meantime, CNI, which owns the forest on behalf of central North Island iwi, has offered the temporary use of a set area of land within Whakarewarewa Forest, while work continues on developing a long-term solution that will not include use of the forest land.
The proposal would have seen recovered wastewater go into Lake Rotorua. Photo / File
A CNI spokesman told the Rotorua Daily Post Weekend the collective was promoted into helping because the Rotorua community "required a solution" for wastewater and it needed a long-term solution that would "not include use of our forest land".
Taonga not Toilet campaigner Renee Kiriona. Photo / File
However, Taonga not Toilet campaigner Renee Kiriona, of Ngāti Uenukukōpako, said she was appreciative of CNI handing the council a "lifeline" through the Whakarewarewa Forest, but did not believe the three parties would find a solution.
"I don't see CNI or the iwi being responsible to finding a solution, although they [council] must work with them particularly, it is the council's job, it's what they are elected for."
At the beginning of this year, Kiriona launched a petition calling on Te Arawa Lakes Trust to "do everything it can" to stop a Rotorua Lakes Council from discharging 20 million litres of treated sewage into the lake every day for the next 30 years.
"It's not. Kiwis, not just Māori, will not tolerate it anymore."
The council acknowledged such use of land within the forest was not consistent with its status as a taonga nor the relationship of iwi and hapū with their taonga.
In addition to the cultural effects, nitrogen levels in the treated wastewater discharging through the Puarenga Catchment had in the past resulted in the issue of an abatement notice.
An appeal against that notice was settled by a consent order issued by the court requiring the council to investigate viable alternatives for the discharge of wai tātari.
That resulted, following several years of engagement, in the 2018 proposal to discharge treated wastewater to Lake Rotorua.
A number of submitters on the consent applications submitted for the proposal, including Te Arawa Lakes Trust, stated that the discharge of wai tātari was culturally offensive.
Now the three parties have agreed to a sustainable forest approach that will include upgrading the council's wastewater treatment plant and the short- to medium-term continuation of discharging treated wastewater in Whakarewarewa Forest.
The area of land to be used will be reduced from the current 400ha to less than 40ha and the treatment plant upgrade will treat wastewater to a higher standard than it does now, the council said.
On Friday, the parties submitted a joint memorandum to the Environment Court outlining what has been agreed and are awaiting a response from the court.
No timeframe has been set for the decision on the "long-term solution".
In a statement from the council, the parties acknowledged it was a difficult challenge where a lot of work had already been undertaken and there was still a lot of work ahead.
Te Arawa Lakes Trust chairman Sir Toby Curtis. Photo / File
Te Arawa Lakes Trust chairman Dr Sir Toby Curtis said the agreement was driven by the desire to develop the right solution for Te Arawa, the environment and the community.
In 2018, Curtis told the Rotorua Daily Post that while the trust supported the upgrade of the wastewater plant and the method of treating the wastewater, it could not support the discharge of wai tātari into Te Arikiroa Channel and Lake Rotorua.
"Our focus is much wider than our environmental mandate, with social, economic and cultural objectives also a critical part of our mahi and decision-making.
"Te Arawa Lakes Trust takes its role as hunga tiaki of the lakes extremely seriously. We have acknowledged and supported the genuine concerns of local hapū around the original proposal."
Curtis said the agreement – and the long-term plan for the future – was the right outcome for everyone involved.
Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick. Photo / File
Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick said the agreement was a hugely significant development.
"A lot of constructive work followed agreement to get out of the forest but we knew the discharge proposal was unacceptable to many, despite our best efforts, and Council committed to still keep looking for alternatives.
"This is essential infrastructure needed for quality of life, and the challenge remains with us all to achieve the best possible long-term solution for our community and our environment."
