Talks extended on weighty city wastewater project
Palmerston North residents are getting longer to have their say about the most expensive project the city council has ever invested in – a new wastewater management system.
The city council has held public meetings throughout last month about a shortlist of six options, costing between $264 million and $765m, to deal with the city’s wastewater for the next 35 years.
Wastewater is presently treated for about four days before it’s discharged into the Manawatu¯ River, much to the chagrin of Horizons Regional Council, which has been calling for a more environmentally friendly method since 2011.
A legal wrangle between the two authorities was resolved when the city council agreed to apply for a new resource consent by mid-2022, six years before the consent was to expire.
City council chief infrastructure officer Tom Williams said the consultation was due to end on Tuesday, but because of the importance of the project and some residents not receiving consultation material, it had been extended until July 10.
More than 300 submissions were received during the initial consultation period, but many residents asked for more information on the environmental effect of each option and how the shortlist was whittled down from 36 choices to six.
Williams said many of the options were fatally flawed and didn’t make it to the consultation stage because they were too expensive, or didn’t meet public heath, cultural, environmental or recreational standards.
However, the environmental effects wouldn’t be fully understood until later in the consent process when the watertreatment level was determined, locations were chosen and more scientific investigations took place, Williams said.
Anyone who has made a submission and wants to change it in light of the new information can fill out a form at naturecalls.nz or use the one in the public consultation guide available at the city library.
As part of the additional consultation, there will be two further public information sessions tomorrow – 10am at the Ashhurst Library and 11.30am at the city library.
A summary of the consultation findings will be available next month and the city council will make a decision on which option to go with in December.