Section 3: Council Activities

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Wastewater

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Responsibility

Brent Manning (Manager Water and Wastes)

Description of service

Collection, treatment and disposal of domestic, commercial and industrial wastewater from the urban areas of New Plymouth, Bell Block, Waitara and Inglewood. The service areas WAS extended with commissioning of the Oakura sewerage scheme (2009), and further in future with the proposed transfer of Waitara sewage to the New Plymouth Wastewater Treatment Plant. As well as reticulated domestic wastewater services, the Council undertakes to identify and monitor trade waste flows into the sewerage systems; and to provide disposal facilities for liquid effluent from industrial and domestic septic tanks. Part of the treatment of all waste from the New Plymouth Wastewater Treatment Plant involves the production and sale of Taranaki Bio-Boost 6-3-0® fertiliser, a thermally dried, pathogen-free product derived from dewatered sewage sludge.

Scale of service

This describes the size and scope of the activity.

24 million litres (average) of wastewater treated daily, with potential to increase to 30 million litres by 2019, as additional urban areas are connected to the system.
Total discharge consent at New Plymouth Wastewater Treatment Plant for 86 million litres per day.
Treatment plants at New Plymouth and Waitara and disposal of treated effluent through separate outfalls at Waiwhakaiho and Waitara. The existing Waitara outfall consent is being renewed; it is the Council’s intention to transfer pump Waitara sewage to New Plymouth for treatment within the term of the renewed consent. The Waitara outfall will be retained for emergency overflows thereafter.
Inglewood urban area is connected to the Bell Block sewer network and treated at New Plymouth Wastewater Treatment Plant.
32 pump stations connected to the New Plymouth system, including those in Oakura.
470km of sewage mains including Oakura.
22,508 properties and 82 per cent of the district population connected, with the potential to rise to 85 per cent or more by 2019.
$264 million network replacement value.

Rationale for activity

Collection, treatment and disposal of waste is essential to minimise the impact of large concentrated populations and their industrial processes on the environment. This ensures that human and industrial waste does not threaten the sustainability of our current environment, development and business practices. This contributes greatly to the community well-beings, in particular the environmental well-being.

The protection of river and ocean environments is also of high importance to the entire community and particularly tangata whenua, who have rights to these resources under the Treaty of Waitangi. In order to protect these rights and environments, wastewater is treated to such a degree that its impact on the environment is negligible. This also ensures that traditional fisheries and recreational waters are protected from pollution.

An assessment of water and sanitary services (including sewage disposal and solid waste) has been published as required under the Local Government Act 2002 and was reviewed and republished in 2010.

Contribution to Community Outcomes

The primary contribution of this activity is to the Secure and Healthy Community Outcome through the collection, treatment and disposal of waste to protect public health, and to minimise any adverse effects on the environment.

Secure and Healthy

A district that provides a safe, healthy and friendly place to live, work or visit.

S&H2 The environmental, physical and mental health of the people of New Plymouth District is maintained, enhanced, promoted and protected.

This activity also makes a significant contribution to the Connected, Prosperous and Sustainable Community Outcomes, by ensuring that low impact wastewater disposal is available at low cost to enable economic growth for people and business.

An unpolluted marine environment is also of increasing value to the New Plymouth District’s citizens and their quality of life, as it is increasingly used for recreational purposes. Preservation of the ocean and river environments is especially valued by tangata whenua. The health of all residents and visitors using the natural environment is protected from organic and inorganic pollutants through the provision of this service. This addresses the Sustainable Community Outcome.

Negative impacts on community well-being

The broadening of the district’s sewage collection systems to Oakura and the proposed transfer of Waitara’s sewage to New Plymouth will mitigate the negative impacts of sewage on these local environments.

Some residents may consider that the potential for subdivision, arising from smaller allowable lot sizes as properties move from septic tanks to a reticulated system, has a negative effect on local character and places pressure on local services and facilities. Such concerns need to be carefully and sensitively weighed against the rights of willing property owners and buyers. Existing district planning and application in accordance with the Coastal Strategy will manage these concerns.

Facing the challenges – assumptions and risks

Assumptions

Demand for wastewater will increase in line with any increases in population, growth in tourism and the expansion of the urban area through subdivision.
Urban customers will continue to expect more reliable wastewater services. In rural areas customers may aspire to have the same service as urban customers. There is a need for greater information on on-site system management as the Council has no plan to provide a reticulated sewerage network service to rural properties.
New Plymouth Wastewater Treatment Plant is required to expand in order to accommodate future growth and the inclusion of Oakura and Waitara sewage. A new clarifier was completed and commissioned in 2008 at the New Plymouth plant to accommodate the additional flows from Oakura and Waitara. A major upgrade to the plant treatment process is required in order to ensure the plant can treat the additional sewage load (measured in Biochemical Oxygen Demand or BOD). Preliminary assessment of the options for the plant’s expansion have been finalised and the cost of expansion included in the long-term budget forecasts.
Preliminary plans for a future sewerage scheme for Urenui and Onaero Beach villages has been completed in 2006 to 2009. Some further funding has been allocated in 2010/11 to investigate alternative options for the Urenui-Onaero communities.
Assumptions for asset base lives were made consistent with the Council’s certified valuation as at 30 June 2008.

Risks

Network failure through deferred maintenance or reduced maintenance expenditure.
Changes to design and environmental standards, or significant change to the current service, which may result in failure to achieve compliance or involve a significant cost to implement.
Contamination of raw waters, which causes a significant public health risk.
The application to renew the Waitara outfall discharge consent is declined.

Managing risks

Risks associated with water and wastewater plant and equipment can be reduced by regular inspection, up-to-date management and maintenance plans and the recruitment and retention of skilled staff.
Changes to standards can be managed by ensuring that the Council’s procedures and codes of practice are continually revised and ensuring the Council has input into the development of national standards.
Most system overflows to raw waters occur at pumping stations, which are continuously monitored and alarmed. In the case of alarm a pump or maintenance crew responds to either prevent or contain the overflow. In the event of an overflow occurring incident management protocols are in place with the Taranaki Regional Council.
In the event that the Waitara outfall discharge consent is declined in its original form, the Council will need to submit a revised application, or be prepared to challenge the decision through the Environment Court, for which additional funds will have to be sought. The Council is considering the acceleration of the Waitara to
New Plymouth sewage transfer project and the necessary upgrade to the New Plymouth Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Levels of service and performance measures

The following levels of service and performance measures outline the objectives we will set and how we will measure our progress.

Service objective	Related Community Outcome(s)	Performance measures	Performance targets
Service objective	Related Community Outcome(s)	Performance measures	2010/11	2011/12
The treatment system can accommodate the newly connected towns while allowing for future growth.	Connected 1 Prosperous 5	Network has surplus capacity to accommodate demand growth within all reticulated areas.	Peak throughput is < 90% of plant capacity and within consented limits	Peak throughput is < 90% of plant capacity and within consented limits
Ensure that public health and the environment are protected through the beneficial reuse of biosolids.	Sustainable 1 & 7 Secure and Healthy 2	Taranaki Bio-Boost 6-3-0® fertiliser is produced at the NP WWTP and on-sold in bulk for application to land and gardens. Measures are: Tonnes per annum. Percentage of total re-used beneficially.	1300t per annum 100%	1300t per annum 100%
The effect of human liquid waste on the environment is within acceptable limits.	Secure and Healthy 2 Sustainable 1 & 2	The conditions imposed by resource consents, as monitored by Taranaki Regional Council are complied with 100 per cent of the time.	Achieved	Achieved
New Plymouth Wastewater Treatment Plant design loading capacity exceeds actual load imposed by sewage flows.	Sustainable 1 Prosperous 5	Percentage of the actual Biochemical Oxygen Demand load calculated as a population equivalent when compared to the design load of the plant.	< 90%	< 90%
Ensure wastewater services meet residents’ satisfaction.	Secure and Healthy 2 & 4	Residents’ satisfaction, measured by the percentage who are either very or fairly satisfied with the wastewater system as measured in comparison with an average of similar sized, or “peer” local authorities (NRB Survey).	Exceeds peer group average (including ‘don’t know’ responses)	Exceeds peer group average (including ‘don’t know’ responses)

FINANCIAL PLAN	LTCCP 2011/12 ($000)	Budget 2011/12 ($000)
OPERATIONS
Wastewater activity expenditure	13,472	13,727
Wastewater activity revenue	(1,476)	(1,810)
Net cost of operations	11,996	11,917

Appropriations and reserves
Capital contributions	0	10
Depreciation unfunded/deferred	(654)	(1,913)
Transfer to reserves	40	40
Total appropriations and reserves	(614)	(1,863)

RATES REQUIREMENT FOR OPERATIONS	11,382	10,054

CAPITAL EXPENDITURE
Total renewals	3,877	5,245
Total improvements	7,965	13,689
Total loan repayments	0	1,599
Total capital expenditure	11,842	20,533

Capital funding
Capital contributions	0	(10)
Corporate loan	(7,958)	(13,678)
Total capital funding	(7,958)	(13,688)

Net cost of capital activities	3,884	6,845

Appropriations and reserves
Transfer from depreciation reserves	(3,877)	(5,245)
Total appropriations and reserves	(3,877)	(5,245)

FUNDING REQUIREMENT FOR CAPITAL	7	1,600

RATES AND FUNDING REQUIREMENT
Rates requirement for operations	11,382	10,054
Funding requirement for capital	7	1,600
TOTAL RATES AND FUNDING REQUIREMENT	11,389	11,654