City Wastewater Treatment Plant

Council has decided to build a "reduced scope" wastewater treatment scheme at Banks Street and in mid-November lodged variations to the existing resource consents to enable this to happen. The aim is still to have the treatment plant operational by 31 December 2010, as set out in the original consents. 

Building at Banks Street is expected to cost $45m, almost half the cost of the original, fully consented $84M scheme at Aerodrome Road. The annual operating cost will be about $4.27m. This option is expected to see city ratepayers pay an extra $88 a year on top of the $562 they will be paying for total wastewater charges in 2010/11.

The reduced scope scheme includes a full industrial separation scheme, a pre-treatment facility for both industrial and domestic wastewater and one biological trickling filter tank, instead of two as originally consented, to treat domestic wastewater.

The treatment performance of this option will be monitored and modifications made to upgrade if necessary. The scheme includes the flexibility to implement alternative use and disposal of the treated wastewater in the future.