DRAFT LTP book.indb - Hurunui District Council

Draft Hurunui Community Long Term Plan 2012 - 2022Second PhaseThe second phase involves the upgrading of the water schemes tofull compliance, and will mean the end to the MIOX treatments.The capital cost in today’s money is $14 million, and we areproposing for this to occur between 2024 and 2027. To managethe cost, we are proposing that this is funded through a districtwide general rate. This is different to how we currently fundwater supplies, which is through targeted rates for individualschemes. We do not believe the targeted method of fundingis possible or a fair way of funding for any of our ratepayers toupgrade our drinking water to legislated standards. There aresimply too few people on the smaller community schemes inparticular, to be able to pay for these upgrades. By funding via adistrict wide rate, the cost is spread across all ratepayers, hencemaking it more affordable and achievable over all.Although the capital works required won’t start being builtuntil 2024, we are going to start rating from 2015/16 to buildup some funds which will offset the full capital cost when it isnecessary. The cost of this will be $41 per property and this ratefund, along with accumulating interest, should provide a fund ofapproximately $3 million to assist with meeting the capital cost.The method by which the balance of the capital work and theon-going operational costs will be met, will be refi ned over time.We have no option but to upgrade our water schemes so thatthey are compliant with the drinking water standards. As mostschemes do not meet the criteria to qualify for governmentfunding, the full cost has to be met by ratepayers.Do you agree with the proposed rating models as the best way toproceed to ensure full compliance? Do you consider this fair to thosewho are not connected to an at risk water scheme? If not, how wouldyou see this required work being funded?Sewer ImprovementsDisposal of treated wastewater direct to waterways has beena common practice nationally in the past, but this approach isno longer considered sustainable or environmentally acceptable.In our District, we have seven wastewater treatment plantsusing oxidation ponds as an effl uent treatment process. Thesetreatment plants are located at Amberley, Hanmer Springs,Cheviot, Greta Valley, Motunau Beach, Hawarden and Waikari.We need to do more work to our Hanmer Springs wastewatertreatment plant so that the treated wastewater is disposed ontoland instead of into the waterway (which is a resource consentcondition). We are investigating the best options available tous in Hanmer Springs for both land acquisition and improvedeffl uent treatment. The cost for this sewer land disposal workis $1,200,000 factored into year 2015/16 and paid for bythe Hanmer Springs Ward ratepayers. Other planned workincludes improving dissolved oxygen levels in the treatmentponds to eliminate issues such as odour and reduced treatmenteffi ciencies. For this work we plan to spend $220,000 in2012/13.Cheviot’s wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) disposalsystem is spray irrigation to land or onto the overland fl ow areawhen the land disposal area is saturated. We are investigatingpossible long-term treatment options (long term capacities; soilpermeability and content analysis; seasonal effects, fl ow/waterquality/ecology of Crystal Brook and neighbouring groundwaterquality assessments) associated with treatment and disposal ofwastewater from the Cheviot WWTP. We will work with theCanterbury Regional Council to agree on the best solutiongoing forward in 2012/13. This plant’s resource consent expires11 September 2014, when the Regional Council will decide ifimprovements are required to renew this resource consent.No disposal to waterways is allowed or tolerated to date. Weexpect the cost for this will be met through usual operatingcosts at no increase to ratepayers.Amberley and Waikari have existing treated effl uent disposalto land, with Greta Valley and Motunau Beach using a primaryoption of disposal to land and secondary option to waterwaywhen the land is saturated, for example, seasonal wet weatherconditions. Hawarden’s system is disposal to waterway untilchanges are effected through the resource consent renewal,which will be in 2027 or subject to any new requirements underthe Natural Resources Regional Plan (NRRP) review currentlyunderway at Canterbury Regional Council. We will considermore natural methods of disposal, such as wetland fi ltrationif proven feasible and cost effective. All systems are closelymonitored and audited by the Canterbury Regional Council forcompliance with stringent consent conditions to protect andenhance the environment surrounding these treatment plants.Are you satisfi ed with the approach we are taking to dispose ofeffl uent?Stormwater ImprovementsWe have been working on a programme of stormwaterimprovements to the Amberley township and Amberleyand Leithfi eld Beach communities since 2008 when we hadsignifi cant property fl ooding following high rainfall events.The improvements have taken a disappointingly long timeto implement due to the resource consent process andEnvironment Court hearings process. So far, only two majorphysical works have been completed – the fl ood diversionfrom Dock Creek along Lawcocks Road, and a piped outfall ofthe Leithfi eld Outfall Drain to the sea. By the time this Planis fi nalised, the fl ood diversion works in the Amberley swamparea (to include an outlet culvert under Stanton Rd) and thearea from Dry Gully to the Mimimoto Lagoon will have beencompleted, as well as the new pipelines in Amberley.A fl ood fl ow diversion from Eastern Drain across to theAmberley North lagoon is proposed for the 2012/13 year, tocomplete the fl ood mitigation works. Detailed design and landownership issues still have to be fi nalised. $294,000 has beenbudgeted for this work (to do detention ponds and upgrades),with a further $84,000 in the 2016/17 budget for Chamberlain13