Wastewater education

Over the last two years there has been an increase in community awareness and subsequent response to the number of wastewater overflows that have been occurring within the Waikato district.

A number of these overflows have occurred in Raglan and have resulted in the harbour being closed to both swimming and seafood collection.

But wastewater overflows aren’t limited to Raglan. Overflows happen across the district and in August 2016, Council received a report outlining initial responses to the level of overflows from the wastewater network and supported a continual improvement programme (CIP) approach to managing the overflow issues.

A review was carried out between September and November 2016 to determine what else could be done over the medium and long term to provide a sustainable improvement, recommendations from that review included

employing more specialist water and wastewater staff,
the purchase of standby generators,
improved wastewater operational knowledge and control across the district,
a proactive network jetting and condition assessment programme,
and a district wide public education programme.

Council has a goal of reducing overflows as much as practicably possible but acknowledges that it is not possible to completely rule them out and need the community’s help.

Rags in one of the pumps
Another pair of undies found in one of the pumps
Raglan Community Board members speak to the community at the local market
Yuck stuff found in the pump
Raglan Community Board members at the local market
Raglan Community Board member Tony Oosten at the Raglan markets.
What not to flush down the toilet
Only flush poo, pee and paper down the loo
Undies found in the pump at Raglan Kopua camp ground
Talking with the community about wastewater education at the local market

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Wastewater overflows are caused by:

Blockages caused by foreign objectives within the network or at pumping stations either in wet or dry weather
Inadequate capacity within the network, relative to the flow being transported – this is normally an issue in wet weather
Failure of key equipment (e.g. pumping stations) or power at key installations (e.g. pumping stations)

The effects or consequences of wastewater overflows are that:

They result in the pollution of waterway (streams, rivers and harbour)
Give rise to public health issues, if next to people or where they swim,
They cause a loss of utility for sanitary services for customers

Whilst the Council interventions will undoubtedly lead to positive results, the community’s support and action will improve these results and for that reason the districts communities are being asked to do that bit through a public education programme.

As part of this public education work, material will be distributed to all public toilets in the district and all households will receive information letting them know what should and shouldn’t be put down the loo and kitchen sink. Council will have a presence at public events such as market days where we will share the message. Accommodation providers, real estate agents and plumbers will have access to information to circulate to their customers.

The wastewater education programme will then look to be embedded in schools around the district.

What we know so far

We know that people are putting non-flushable items such as rags, wet wipes, nappies and undies down the loo and fats, oil and grease down the kitchen sink. This in turn blocks the wastewater system and is the main cause of wastewater overflows (81 per cent in 2014-16) in our district. The remainder of overflows are due to network issues.

So we’re undertaking, among other things, a district-wide public education programme to alert the district to this problem.