1 comment:

1. Stan, 20. May 2013, 13:26
   

   The Moa Point Waste Water Treatment Plant was designed soley to treat raw sewage. The 1800 metre long outfall can handle a max. of 4500 litres per second of treated sewage prior to being discharged into the ocean. The Short Outfall after discharging raw sewage for close on a century was left in place for situations such as civil emergencies alone. A Resource Consent was not granted to discharge any substance unless Civil Emergency conditions prevailed. It has to be understood that the Treatment Plant was never designed to cope with stormwater flows particularly as experienced on 6th May. WCC has a Consent to discharge partially treated sewage over 3000 litres per second of flow. It must be understood that the normal dry weather flow through the Plant is 800 litres of sewage per second. The ingress of stormwater into the sewage infrastructure is therefore excessive to say the least. WCC has been aware of the cross connections between stormwater and sewage pipes for a long time but has turned a blind eye to putting the matter right. Other expenditure such as non commercially viable ventures have been the priority. The $50 million ASB Indoor Stadium at Kilbirnie as one example. The WCC deserves to be fined for breaching the RMA by discharging raw sewage into Cook Strait without Consent.