Sewerage scheme go-ahead

Rotorua Lakes Council has approved preferred sewerage scheme option for Rotoma and East Rotoiti area.

A preferred sewerage scheme for Rotoma and East Rotoiti has been approved by Rotorua Lakes Council following a year's work by a steering committee.

The scheme is needed to protect the lakes from phosphorus and nitrogen input from septic tanks and to reduce the risk septic tanks in low-lying areas pose to public health.

"The preferred option put to council for approval is a combination of a number of options we consulted on, and is a compromise on which the Rotoma/Rotoiti Sewerage Steering Committee was able to reach unanimous agreement," the committee's independent chairman, Ian McLean said.

"The next step is the design and firm costing of the preferred option, and an application for resource consents under the Resource Management Act. At that stage the community will again be consulted. If all goes well, the scheme will then be constructed.

"We've worked very closely with iwi and community groups in the two lake communities to find a solution that takes into account community views. Important factors were cost, better lake water quality, public heath, resilience and cultural considerations," he said.

The preferred option is based on a local wastewater treatment plant and land disposal system. At Rotoma connections are to be by on-site low pressure grinder pumps.

At Rotoiti a trial will be done with on-site Biolytix wastewater pre-treatment units connected to the treatment plant.

If successful, Biolytix units will be used there, and if not, low-pressure grinder pumps, such as those at Rotoma, will be used.

The scheme will benefit from subsidies from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry for the Environment, and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

Part of the latter is a special subsidy of $4 million applied for by the steering committee and just included in the regional draft long term plan.

Rotorua Lakes Council policy is to subsidise each household by $1500 and to carry the cost of spreading households' capital cost over 25 years.

Mr McLean said without these subsidies, ratepayers would not be able to bear the cost of the scheme.

The steering committee included representatives from iwi and ratepayer groups, Rotorua Lakes Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Ministry of Health.

It was established in December 2013 following a successful challenge to the Environment Court by iwi who were opposed to an initial proposal that involved a land disposal system on Manawahe Rd.

Issues still to be determined include the exact boundaries of different parts of the scheme, the precise nature of the land treatment system, and the site of the treatment plant.