Raglan wastewater discharge consent

The Whaaingaroa/Raglan Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) treats wastewater so it can be safely discharged to the environment. The treatment process removes solids and pollutants, breaks down organic matter, disinfects the treated water using UV, and improves oxygen levels before discharge.

The plant’s discharge consent expired in February 2020. The plant continues to operate under the existing expired consent conditions while Council progresses work on a short-term consent and investigates a long-term, environmentally responsible solution for Raglan’s growing community.

A long list of treatment and discharge options has been narrowed to a short list through technical assessment and community input.

Council, alongside planning, environmental and engineering specialists, is now evaluating these options to identify a preferred long-term solution, known as the Best Practical Option (BPO).

This work includes consideration of:

land suitability for irrigation
marine modelling
public health and community wellbeing
freshwater and marine ecology
cultural impacts
cost and affordability

Council has been engaging with mana whenua, community representatives, stakeholders, and interested residents throughout the process.

Regular online meetings have also been held with stakeholders, hapuu, and the wider community. These discussions have helped shape the approach, including a focus on re-use, innovation, and recognising wastewater as a potential resource rather than a waste product.

Once a preferred treatment and discharge option is confirmed, it will inform a future resource consent application to Waikato Regional Council.

Local iwi, the wider Raglan community and other stakeholders have expressed a strong preference for a discharge-to-land solution, which has been under investigation for several years.

Since 2019, Council has worked with Watercare, its waters services delivery partner, to assess a wider range of treatment and discharge alternatives. This includes options that combine reclaimed water reuse for summer irrigation with a different discharge approach during winter, as well as more advanced treatment technologies that could replace the existing oxidation ponds.

Because of the engineering, environmental, cultural, and financial complexity involved, this work has taken time. Each option must be carefully assessed to understand its environmental effects, cultural implications, technical feasibility, and affordability.

These panels show how treated wastewater moves through the system and supports regeneration in the Western Gully.

Wainui Reserve gully discharge and regeneration information panels

To receive project updates, email ThreeWaters@waidc.govt.nz and ask to be added to the mailing list.

You’re also welcome to join our bi-monthly online community meetings, where we share progress updates and answer questions. Recordings of these meetings are available in the documents section on this page.

If a future resource consent application is publicly notified by Waikato Regional Council, anyone will be able to make a submission through that process.

More information

If they would like to know when each outgoing tide is occurring please follow the link below to NIWA tide timetable.

Information about our wastewater treatment plant can be found in the Wastewater section of our website

Please read the Dept of Conservation information sheet that covers Toxoplasmosis risk to the Hector and Maui Dolphin. A key educational message is to “Please bury any kitty litter droppings in the garden, rather than flushing them”