Kaikohe Wastewater Treatment Plant
The Kaikohe wastewater treatment plant is located adjacent to Wairoro Stream, near Cumber Road. This plant treats waste generated from Kaikohe and Ngawha including the Northland Regional Corrections Facility. The treatment plant also receives septage from across the district and sludge from the Russell wastewater treatment plant. The plant serves about 1600 properties and processes approximately 1500 cubic metres of wastewater each day.
Treating the wastewater
Treatment currently consists of an inlet screen, an anaerobic pond, an oxidation pond and a series of constructed wetlands. The plant also has a sludge lagoon and a sludge storage area. The treatment process takes about 30 days. The treated wastewater is discharged to the Wairoro stream.
Treatment process at the Kaikohe treatment plant
Resource Consent Update
A new resource consent has now been issued for the operation and discharge activities associated with the wastewater treatment plant. This consent sets out updated conditions that Council must comply with, including requirements for system performance, environmental safeguards, and ongoing monitoring obligations. The consent formalises the operational framework for the treatment plant and confirms the authorisation of treated wastewater discharges under specified conditions. A copy of the newly issued consent is available here.
Monitoring
Monitoring of the wastewater treatment plant is a key requirement of the newly issued resource consent. The consent specifies that regular sampling must continue to ensure the discharge meets environmental and performance standards. Three monitoring points are required:
- At the outlet of the constructed wetlands, to measure the quality of treated wastewater immediately before discharge.
- Upstream of the discharge point in the Wairoro Stream, to establish natural background water quality.
- Downstream of the discharge point in the Wairoro Stream, to assess any effects of the discharge on the receiving environment.
Results from this monitoring help demonstrate ongoing compliance with consent conditions and support early identification of any issues requiring attention.
