Residents who would like to find out more about the latest proposal for the discharge of treated wastewater from the Raglan wastewater plant, can meet with staff at a drop-in session at Wainui Reserve on Tuesday 3 December. The team will be at the northern end by the public toilets, from 3.30pm to 7pm.
This follows a presentation to around 50 residents at the Raglan Club last week, where staff gave updates on the ongoing investigations and the preferred option.
Waikato District Council, Watercare and technical specialists have been working alongside local residents and mana whenua over recent months, after many years of community concern over discharge of treated wastewater from the plant into the harbour.
The upgrade to the plant to a membrane bioreactor (MBR) system, due to be operational early next year, means that the treated wastewater is totally clear and odourless, free from bacteria.
This development means that more land-based discharge options could be considered, with the Wainui Reserve gully location being the most feasible and cost-effective.
The proposed option involves restoration to an existing gully on Wainui Reserve to allow fully treated wastewater to be pumped across a special rock set-up and planting to filter it down through to groundwater level and out to sea under the dune.
The recommendation was well-supported at the presentation, pending further testing on the groundwater to confirm that the gully can safely manage the filtration process without risk of slips and beach damage.
The Raglan library will be the weather back-up if rain forces an alternative venue to Wainui Reserve, with experts available from 3.30pm to 5pm on 3 December.
