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Martinborough Wastewater Treatment Plant

At the Martinborough Wastewater Treatment plant, sewage flows through an aerated facultative pond, a series of maturation ponds and ultraviolet treatment. Discharge of the treated effluent is managed to either an adjacent block of land by irrigation or to the Ruamahanga River depending on the season, river levels and conditions of the Resource Consents.

The plant was granted new consents on 11 February 2016. These consents will continue for 35 years (expire 11 February 2051).

In general, the consents allow SWDC:

  • to discharge treated wastewater to land via an irrigation system at a flow rate of 795m3/day (Stage 1B) and 4300m3/d (Stages 2A and 2B)
  • to discharge treated wastewater to the Ruamahanga River at an annual average daily flow of up to 650 cubic meters per day and at a maximum daily rate of up to 4,300 cubic meters per day
  • to discharge treated wastewater to land via seepage from the oxidation ponds
  • to discharge odours from the oxidation ponds within the boundary
  • to discharge odours and other contaminants from irrigation of treated wastewater to land within the boundary.

Resource Consents

Plant Perfomance

 

 

 

 

 

Current Status: Non-compliant

Period: October 2024

Commentary:

In June 2024, a new 'To Do Abatement Notice' was issued for Martinborough. This superseded the May 2024 and August 2023 'To Do Abatement Notices', which in turn replaced the Abatement Notice issued in 2022, although the WWTP still remains non-compliant. 

Wellington Water and South Wairarapa District Council are working together to address the items raised in the new Notice, as part of the compliance upgrade project underway.

Major investment is required, and current approved funding levels do not meet this requirement.

In 2024-25, WWL is planning to undertake a WWTP Growth-Capacity study, to determine how the plant can be upgraded to service new connections. The completed network growth study shows no network issues within the study's horizon.

 

Items of significance:

The 2024-2024 Annual Report was submitted to GWRC. Current plant design is insufficient to avoid non-compliance.

Effluent discharge rate to land continues to exceed current consent limits. Effluent volume and quality discharged to river 
continues to exceed the annual consent limits.

New connections have been paused while a Growth-Capacity study is undertaken to determine how to ensure the WWTP 
can operate compliantly with new connections. 

Tenders have been received for the desludging works.

Work is progressing on the basis of design for the Stage 2A irrigation area as well as the Growth-Capacity Study. These two pieces of work are being developed together to ensure a cohesive solution is defined for the site.