Rotorua Lakeside Communities Sewerage Scheme Programme
Rotorua District Council is committed to providing sewerage schemes to service most Rotorua District lakeside communities . The council has also identified sewer servicing options for communities that are not part of the Lakeside Communities Sewerage Scheme Programme.
The programme will connect about 2,300 dwellings currently serviced by conventional septic tank and soakage field systems, with a reticulated sewerage network. Failed septic tanks in lakeside areas have been known to contribute to nutrients entering lake water and to be the source of faecal contamination which endangers public health. Eliminating these problems is one of the measures necessary to improve water quality of Rotorua’s major lakes.
Sewerage Scheme Programme
The table below shows the indicative costs, programmed completion date and current status of implementation for the Lakeside Communities Sewerage Scheme Programme:
Sewerage Scheme Area |
Indicative Cost ($Millions) |
Programmed Completed Date |
Current Project Status |
| Mourea/Okawa Bay |
$8.9m |
Completed June 2006 |
98% of properties connected |
| Hinemoa Point (pdf 1.6mb) |
$1.4m |
Completed July 2008 |
100% of properties connected |
| Brunswick / Rotokawa (pdf 596kb) |
$12.5m |
Completed
November 2009 |
~ 70% of properties connected |
| Okareka / Blue Lake (pdf 1.5mb) |
$9.7m |
Completed
October 2010 |
100% of properties connected |
Okere Falls / Otaramarae / Whangamarino
(pdf 790kb) |
$14.7m |
Completed
September
2011 |
99% of properties connected |
| Gisborne Point/Hinehopu (pdf 1.1mb) |
$15m |
2014 |
Detailed design completed. Treatement plant site resource consent applied for, presently in mediation. |
Hamurana / Awahou (pdf 1.2mb) |
$16.6m |
2013 |
Construction started Nov 2011 expected completion Feb 2013. |
| Tarawera (pdf 1.4mb) |
$13.8m |
2014 |
Detailed feasibility study completed |
Rotoma (pdf 1.6mb) |
$12.4m |
2015 |
Detailed design completed. Treatment plant site resource consent applied for, presently in mediation. |
Maps showing the service areas for the above schemes are attached (LTCCP maps).
Scheme Funding
The capital cost of the proposed sewerage schemes is covered in part by a 50% subsidy from Central Government; through the Ministry of Health for Mourea /Okawa Bay) and the Ministry for the Environment (for Brunswick/Rotokawa, Okareka/Blue Lake, Okere Falls/Otaramarae/Whangamarino, Gisborne Point/Hinehopu and Hamurana/Awahou). Further subsidy applications will be made to Central Government for Rotoma and Tarawera lakes.
The remainder of capital costs will be funded by a combination of Environment Bay of Plenty grants, commercial users’ contributions, Rotorua District Council general rates and individual ratepayer contributions.
Low Pressure Grinder Pump (LPGP) Systems
Communities in the Lakeside Communities Sewerage Scheme programme generally have difficult topography and high groundwater levels on lakeside properties. This means high costs for laying pipes because of the extensive use of dewatering equipment and disturbance of properties from open trench excavations. This was highlighted during construction of a conventional gravity system at Mourea/Okawa Bay. As a result, Council investigated other sewer servicing options that would be preferable to conventional gravity systems. The evaluation process revealed that Low Pressure Grinder Pump systems are the best alternative because of cost and environmental considerations.
A brochure describing Low Pressure Grinder Pump systems is attached.
Implementation of New Zealand’s first community-wide Low Pressure Grinder Pump system has been completed at Hinemoa Point. This system will connect 60 existing properties and a marae to the community sewer system and also allowsfor future development in the area.
Construction of a 40 unit LPGP system is underway at the Brunswick/Rotokawa area, and Okareka/Blue Lake and Okere Falls/Otaramarae/Whangamarino schemes are currently being designed to use Low Pressure Grinder Pump systems. It is also planned to service other lakeside communities by LPGP systems, subject to a detailed feasibility investigation.
Other Areas Being Considered for the Sewerage Scheme Programme
A study has been undertaken to establish sewering options for communities not currently included in the sewerage programme. Planning and detailed investigations of a proposed sewerage scheme would proceed if most people in the following communities support proposals:
Mamaku
Kennedy Bay/Otautu Bay
Curtis Road
Tumoana Road
Rerewhakaaitu
A consultation programme will be started before the end of this year to determine the community’s level of support for a sewerage scheme. .
If you have further queries on the above please contact Greg Manzano or Mark Buckley at Rotorua District Council on 07 348 4199.