CLEAN WATER WHANGAMATA INC. AND SURFBREAK PROTECTION SOCIETY INC.

PRESS RELEASE 2 MARCH 2007

Surfbreak Protection Society Inc. and Clean Water Whangamata Inc. are appealing the Whangamata wastewater upgrade decisions.

These are the designations approved by the Thames Coromandel District Council (TCDC) as well as the discharge resource consents granted by Waikato Regional Council (WRC).

Both groups join the community in their support of a long overdue upgrade of the ailing system.

“The treatment plant is leaking up to 22 m3 of raw sewage a day and too much of the effluent sprayed in the forest ends up in the estuary and the ocean”, says Paul Shanks, president of Surfbreak Protection. “We have been pushing for a decent upgrade for many years after seeing and hearing of surfers and swimmers falling ill and the health department has had signs up that the shellfish are not fit for human consumption”.

Local iwi Ngati Whanaunga have supported the appeal as an interested party with the groups, as have several other affected residents.

TCDC has also appealed on the grounds that the conditions are too strict on odour, noise and buffer zones.

The organisations believe the upgrade approved by TCDC and WRC is inadequate to meet future demands.

Objections include:

- Allowing existing ponds to continue to leak.

- The location of the proposed upgraded treatment plant.

- Increasing spray rates in the forest.

- The location of the new forest areas for spraying of effluent near residential and recreational areas.

- Any suggestion of ocean outfall for the future.

“In the 21st century, where the environment is at the top of the international political agenda, and government and businesses are embracing triple bottom lines, it is totally unacceptable for New Zealand to allow on-going contamination of our already degraded recreational areas and ecological habitats as proposed by TCDC and WRC”, says Paul Shanks

The two groups say the upgrade will be inadequate for the planned future coastal development, including the marina and the high density housing subdivisions behind it and in the centre of town.

Surfbreak Protection Society and Clean Water Whangamata welcome mediation with both WRC and TCDC.

“It is not our wish to be involved in an adversary process, so we hope to come to a mutually acceptable solution for the benefit of Whangamata and all visitors who enjoy the surf, estuary and beaches for many decades to come”, says Rosemary Segedin, spokesperson for Clean Water Whangamata.

ENDS

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