Kaikohe hapū and council explore wastewater options

Kaikohe hapū will form a working group with the council to investigate best options to dispose of the town’s wastewater.

Seven hapū have signed Terms of Reference that will set the direction of the working group. A signing ceremony involving Te Uri o Hua, Ngāti Tautahi, Ngāti Whakaeke, Te Matarahurahu, Ngāti Ueoneone, Te Takotokē, Ngāti Kura and the council was held at council chambers on Thursday last week.

The agreement is the result of many months of discussions and several online hui convened during recent COVID-19 restrictions.

The working group will now lead investigations into options to discharge treated wastewater to land. It will also examine best practicable options to upgrade the town’s wastewater treatment plant to improve the standard of wastewater discharge.

The current resource consent for the treatment plant expired late last year. However, the application for a replacement consent has been put on hold until the working group has time to meet to consider alternative options.

The Kaikohe wastewater treatment plant serves about 1600 properties in Kaikohe and Ngāwhā, including the Northland Regional Corrections Facility. It processes around 1500 cubic metres of wastewater each day. This is discharged via wetlands into the Wairoro Stream following a 30-day treatment process. 

A key goal of the working group will be to ensure that Kaikohe hapū and whānau are fully engaged in the investigations before it reports its recommendations for upgrades and disposal options to the council.

Far North District Council is investigating possible options to dispose of wastewater to land for several of its 15 wastewater treatment plants.