Sorting out the sewerage
South Wairarapa District Council is assessing short-term solutions to the major sewerage problems which Martinborough town faces after it was served formal notice to cease-and-desist with any new sewerage connections to its “Martinborough Ponds” treatment plant for up to two years.
The Greater Wellington Regional Council notice warned SWDC that additional connections to the sewerage system “would further compromise the plant’s performance, increasing the risk to the environment, public health and safety.”
SWDC said up to 20 planned new built premises could be affected, while 30 which already had building and other consents could proceed unhindered.
Mayor Martin Connelly said the abatement notice means “the council is obliged to pause applications for new connections to the plant, effective immediately.”
He told “The Martinborough Star” one temporary fix could be installing “temporary (septic) storage tanks” at the affected properties until the main plant’s storage and treatment issues are resolved.
The fact “Martinborough Ponds” has “never been cleaned out for 50 years” since its inception meant a proper cleanout could significantly add to the plant’s holding capacity.
“The question is how much capacity would it give if the ponds were properly cleaned out?” he asked.
The options were being studied with Greater Wellington and Wellington Water Ltd, the council’s three waters contractor.
He said as there are not major housing developments due to start building locally, there were unlikely to be serious long-term problems or effects from the halt to connections.
“The long-term effects relate to the number of Martinborough sections that are impacted” by the delays, and these were “not expected to be major.”
Connelly added: “we hope to have the plant compliant within 24 months. We will pause new connections for only as long as needed.”
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