The FNDC applied to the Northland Regional Council (NRC) in early 2008 for several consents required for the continued operation of the plant, originally built in the 1980s. The plant sits about one kilometre south of Rawene and is bounded on its north-western side by the Omanaia River estuary.
As well as servicing Rawene township and the surrounding area, the plant also deals with waste trucked in from septic tanks at Kohukohu. The plant’s capacity was upgraded in 1999 to cope with a summertime peak of about 1800 people.
The FNDC’s application was heard at Omapere last month by two Independent Commissioners – Napier-based Rob van Voorthuysen (Chairman) and Aucklander Garry Venus.
In their just-released decision, the Commissioners accepted separate evidence from both a consulting engineer for the FNDC and a consultant for the NRC that the plant appeared to be performing “very well”.
They also noted that the application was for replacement discharge permits for the existing facility “with no major changes to the system proposed” and a new coastal permit for an existing flood-gated drainage system outlet.
The Commissioners granted the consents sought, subject to a comprehensive raft of conditions. They include a number designed to address some of the environmental and cultural concerns of more than 130 parties who submitted on the application in August and September 2008 after it was publicly notified.
The consents - which have been granted until 31 October 2030 - allow the FNDC to:
• Discharge treated wastewater into a flood-gated drain
• Discharge contaminants to land via seepage from the base of the wastewater treatment system
• Discharge contaminants (mainly odour) to air
• Place, occupy space for and use an existing flood-gated culvert
However, the conditions also require the FNDC to form a Community Liaison Group to meet at least once a year to discuss “matters related to these consents”.
Under the terms imposed by the Commissioners, the FNDC must invite members of the Rawene community, six named marae and the Hokianga Harbour Care group to join the liaison group.
The FNDC also has 12 months to undertake a public health assessment on the effects of the wastewater discharge on shellfish gathering in the Omanaia River.
It must also within two years design and build a new wastewater treatment wetland on its land immediately south of the plant’s existing wetland.
The extra wetland is designed to further treat the discharge from the existing wetland and has to be designed in consultation with the proposed Community Liaison Group.
Consent conditions can also be regularly reviewed by the NRC.
The Commissioners’ decisions are open to appeal for 15 working days.