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Western Wastewater Treatment Plant

At the Western Treatment Plant, sewage travels through a series of screens, tanks, bioreactors, clarifiers and ultraviolet treatments before being discharged as liquid into Cook Strait in the vicinity of the Karori Stream Mouth.

The Western Treatment Plant was granted new consents on 28 July 2010. These consents will continue for 25 years (expire 28 July 2035).

In general, the consents allow WCC to:

  • discharge of treated and partially treated effluent through an existing outfall,
  • to discharge mixed disinfected, treated and milli-screened wastewater during and/or immediately after heavy rainfall,
  • the discharge of contaminants to the air,
  • and permission to occupy the coastal marine area with an outfall structure.

Resource consents

Resource consent reports

Plant performance

Current Status: Non-Compliant
Period: February 2024

Commentary:

The plant remains non-compliant for Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) Geomean limit. Effluent quality continues to trend towards compliance with recent adjustments to the biological process also making a positive impact.

Discharges:

No wet weather or plant failure discharges in February.

Odour complaints

No odour complaints in February.

 

Items of significance:

Outfall Repair:

Repairs to the main outfall pipe remain incomplete while legal matters are being resolved. Until the repair is completed, fully treated effluent from the plant will continue to discharge into the stream. The recent abatement notice issued by GWRC directs completion of the outfall repair by May 2024.