PHRA – is in progress….

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We were so pleased to finally meet with Dr Rebecca Stott who is a Microbiology Scientist from NIWA on site at the Rawene Waste Water Treatment Plant along with some of our members, Broad Spectrum staff, & FNDC staff member Ruben Wylie.

NIWA have been contracted to undertake a Public Health Risk Assessment in relation to the effects of the current Rawene Waste Water Treatment Plant.

The purpose of the PHRA is to better understand the effects of the current system with the hope that we will then be better informed when we start considering & trialing processes for future systems.

The aim of Te Mauri O Te Wai has always been to have zero treated wastewater being discharged to water. Each step we take which moves us closer to that goal is progress.

Public Health Risk Assessment on its way…

In the last two meetings between the Far North District Council & the community liason group Te Mauri O Te Wai the following progresses have been made:

• PHRA:
  • FNDC & TMOTW agreed on a foundation approach towards conducting the PHRA
  • NIWA was asked to provide a proposal for the PHRA
  • This has now been recieved and will be presented at our April meeting
  • Additional studies have been highlighted by NIWA as being necessary for an accurate overall health of the harbour which is the resultant receiving environment for 3 Waste Water Treatment Plants

 

• PLANT OPERATION:
  • FNDC are reviewing the way they present the monitoring data for plant operation so that it is useable and interpretable by the public
  • Monitoring data for the plant continues to be circulated every two months for public analysis

• ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS:
  • Field expert Andreas Kurmann supplied costings and information on low cost ways to test proposed technologies
  • A review of public consultation from last years hui reminded us that our community ‘just want to see something done about it’ and motivated us to push for investigations in to alternative solutions to get done so we move closer to a solution
• PUBLIC HUI:
  • Planning for our up & coming public hui is motivating and includes:
    • Workshops for interested community members
    • Reports on progress to date
    • A childs voice on the issue through engaging local schools
    • Interactive community consultation designed to guide the next 12 months activity
• REPRESENTATION:
  • Letters, emails, and notices requesting hapu & community groups to confirm their delegated representatives have been sent but responses are still required from some.
  • All meetings are facilitated to ensure an open and inclusive process and members of the public are encouraged to attend.

Community come together to hear and share

Ruben Wylie, Bruce Bevin, Natali Allen, Richard Ruka, Hone Taimona, & Alan Hessel. Some of those present at the TMOTW & FNDC site visit to the current Rawene WWTP in 2013.

July saw Te Mauri O Te Wai host alongside the FNDC host the first Public Hui to provide much needed feedback to the communities affected by the future of the Rawene Waste Water Treatment Plant. Facilitated by TMOTW Convenor Dallas Williams, the afternoon meeting was split into 4 agenda items 1.) FNDC reports back on its stance and views for the future, 2.) Janine McVeagh & Dallas Williams go over the journey Te Mauri O Te Wai has followed to get to this point and where to from here, 3.) Andreas Kurmann shares some ideas he has on the future options for RWWTP, and 4.) The community are given the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback on their views for the future.

In a highly informative meeting, guests and participants were able to hear first hand from expert Andreas Kurmann of other technologies that are successfully being used around the world which could present solutions that are economically viable and environmentally and culturally acceptable for the communities of the Hokianga.

Many participants asked questions which showed they themselves are keen to make lifestyle changes in order to benefit the environment and others indicated they were concerned about the impact on rates and council relationships.

The next bi-monthly meeting will enable TMOTW committee to go through the feeback received and see how to best incorporate the communities views.