Waikato District Council and Watercare are excited to kick off community engagement for the renewal of the resource consent for the Te Kauwhata Wastewater Treatment Plant (TKWWTP). The current consent, which allows the discharge of treated wastewater into Lake Waikare, was issued in 2013 and will expire in 2028.
Thanks to a recent upgrade featuring a Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor (MABR)—the first of its kind in New Zealand—the quality of the discharge has significantly improved. This advancement opens up the possibility of continuing to discharge into the lake through a new wetland.
Discharge options
The submissions that were received, supported council’s preferred option 3. As a result this is the direction being taken through to the next stages.
These include a detailed design for the wetland enhancements and nearby mitigation works. These will be added to this webpage as they are prepared.
The following three reports were prepared by Beca Consultants for Council and Watercare.
They show the results of an ecological study of the area around the Te Kauwhata Wastewater discharge and also the impact the discharge has on lake water quality.
There is also a report that looks at the lake, it's catchment and the impacts on its water quality.