UPDATE: 31 MAY 5.50pm
A temporary repair to the pipe has been completed. The waste water treatment plant is back operating as normal. Watercare will be back on site once a permanent fix has been designed, which will need to include a realignment of the pipe within the embankment and beach. It is expected that this will take a couple of weeks.
UPDATE: 30 MAY 5:08pm
Waikato District Council advises that the repair to the
treated wastewater outfall pipe in Raglan will not be completed today as
originally expected.
Contractors on site have raised concerns about the
stability of the sand bank where the pipe exits. To ensure a safe and durable
repair, gabion rock will be delivered to the site tomorrow morning to create a
solid foundation for the outfall pipe to be reinstalled against.
There is no immediate risk of overflow. The Raglan
Wastewater Treatment Plant currently has 48 hours of storage capacity, meaning
no emergency discharge is required.
Once the site is stabilised and the pipe can be safely
secured, repair work will be completed. This is now expected to occur by
tomorrow evening.
Mana whenua and Waikato Regional Council have been involved
in today’s discussions around restoration and remediation planning.
We will continue to provide updates as work progresses. We ask that members of the public please stay well back from the site while these repairs are undertaken.
30 MAY:
Waikato District Council was notified at 7.40am this morning by a member of the public of a failure in the treated wastewater (effluent) outfall pipe at the point where it exits the sand dunes into Raglan Harbour. Map and photos are attached.
Watercare responded promptly and identified the failure at a bend in the pipe. As seen in photographs, the treated discharge has eroded the surrounding sand dune back to the point where the remaining pipe is exposed.
It is currently unclear exactly when the failure occurred, but the last known discharge was during the outgoing tide last night. All discharge flows have now been paused while the repair is undertaken.
Watercare has arranged for a contractor to excavate the site and complete the necessary repairs. The area is being fenced off to restrict public access during this work. Repairs are expected to be completed by the end of the day (Friday 30 May). No further treated effluent will be discharged until the repair is complete and the tide is again on the outgoing cycle.
Council has notified key stakeholders including Waikato Regional Council, mana whenua and the local community.
We will provide updates as needed and once the repair is fully completed. Until then, we ask the public to avoid the area.
ENDS
