Councillor Linda Cooper, response received 16/9/22

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Kia ora

 

Here are my responses to your questions.  I am committed to increasing the extending the Water Quality Targeted Rate until our awa are clean. Also increasing funding if required. 

 

 

Re: Prioritising works to reduce raw sewage overflows into Te Wai o Pareira and its tributaries:

Watercare’s Operations Team have significantly increased the level of monitoring devices on the local network here, with more monitoring to be installed in a number of locations by the end of 2022. These provide early warning alarms and allow a rapid maintenance response to better prevent sewerage overflows.

 

Re: Identifying and implementing measurable short and medium term solutions that will reduce wastewater overflows into Te Wai o Pareira by 2028:

Watercare are already implementing a number of short and medium term solutions. The majority of the actions below are a result of engagements with Rivercare and are just the current actions excluding previous actions to reduce overflows prior to 2021:

• Inflow and infiltration investigations currently underway in three Te Atatu Peninsula catchments, including the Safe Networks team (Healthy Waters and Watercare) investigating inflow and infiltration in the Pixie Stream (Titoki Street) catchment.

• Local network upgrades are planned downstream of 10 Celsmere Lane within the next few years to remove overflows from this Engineered Overflow Point (EOP).

• We have also done many investigations to rule out potential sources of contamination, including but not limited to:

  • Assessment of Whenuapai siphons to confirm if they had any leaks (no evidence of leaks found).

  • Investigation and sampling of the creek at EOP 748 (manhole 16 on Central Park Drive) and EOP 8 (Chilcott Road).

  • Condition assessment and stream sampling of a broken pipe bridge (has a bypass) to rule out potential leakage/contamination.

  • Additional water quality monitoring at Taipari Strand

• Hydraulic modelling as part of the Wastewater Network Strategy (WWNS) update completed as part of the 2023 strategy update, indicating that Northern Interceptor will achieve the following:

  • At manhole 10, a 50-100% reduction in overflow volumes is predicted .

  • Downstream EOPs will also have some reductions in volume.

• Finally, Watercare’s Communications team provided 300 flyers about wet wipes to aid Rivercare’s community education campaign..

 

Re: Designing and accelerating Stage 4 / 5 of the Northern Interceptor project (scheduled for 2036) to ensure wastewater overflows to Te Wai o Pareira are compliant with the Network Discharge Consent:

We are currently in the options assessment stage for phase 4, including how to convey future Waitākere flows to the Rosedale Wastewater Treatment Plan

Cr Linda Cooper
Chair of Regulatory Committee
Waitakere Ward Councillor
021629533