Bay Harbour: January 18, 2017

Wednesday January 18 2017
BAY HARBOUR
PAGE 17
News
Bid to keep pumping untreated
wastewater into harbours
• By Bridget Rutherford
UNTREATED wastewater will
continue to be poured into the
city’s waterways during storms
and high rainfall.
THe city council is applying
to Environment Canterbury
for a new resource consent to
continue discharging untreated
wastewater into the waterways
and harbours in emergencies.
More than 700,000 cu m of
wastewater, including sewage,
had been discharged into the
waterways since 2012.
Following the September
2010 earthquake, ECan granted
the city council consent for
occasional overflows into
waterways so it did not flood
onto properties.
However, because of
earthquake damage, a nonenforcement
agreement was put
in place.
But that ceases in March, so
the city council either needed
to comply with its original
consent, or apply for a new
one.
City council three waters
and waste acting head John
Moore said it was unlikely
to be able to meet its consent
conditions, as it appeared
the frequency of overflows
may exceed what was
allowed.
He said it would
be possible to stop
wastewater overflows
with a new pressure
sewer network, however,
that would cost $3
billion.
Wastewater includes
sewage and shower, washing
machine and sink water. The
wastewater system had built in
overflow points, which allowed
wastewater to be
released during storms.
It overflows into the
Avon and Heathcote
rivers, the estuary,
Lyttelton, Diamond
Harbour, Governors
Bay and Akaroa.
Canterbury
University’s waterways
centre for freshwater
management Professor Bryan
EMERGENCIES:
The city council
will apply for a
new resource
consent to
discharge
untreated
wastewater
into waterways
during high
rainfall.
Jenkins (left) said the national
standard for wastewater
discharges was once every two
years.
However, in Christchurch it
was happening once every six
months, he said.
For the city’s rivers to be used
safely for recreation, there could
not be any sewage flowing into
them, he said.
“Until that’s dealt with, we
can’t have swimmable Avon and
Heathcote rivers.”
Some Port Hills
tracks closed
due to danger
from rockfall
PEOPLE USING mountain bike
and walking tracks in the Port Hills
are being warned to keep away from
sign-posted areas due to dangerous
rock scaling and blasting work.
The blasting and scaling work is
part of a multi-million dollar project
to get the Sumner to Lyttelton corridor
re-opened.
A large area above and below
Sumner Rd on the Lyttelton side of
the Port Hills is currently extremely
dangerous and off-limits to the
public.
Residents are being advised to
stay off the walking and cycle tracks
in the area shown in the map at all
times, including weekends.
Signage and fencing has been
increased to make it clear where the
hazardous areas are and that people
should not enter.
The blasting and scaling work is
being carried out by McConnell
Dowell, in partnership with Beca,
Doug Hood Mining and Geovert,
and is being jointly funded by the
city council and the New Zealand
Transport Agency.
The aim is to remove any loose
rock that could fall onto Sumner Rd
ahead of repair work on the road
starting.
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