Nature Calls. Waste Water Plans for Palmerston North.

Iola from Awapuni

PNCC are asking you to have your say on what should happen to the waste water of our growing City.
Option 1. ALL TREATED WASTEWATER IS DISCHARGED TO THE MANAWATU RIVER,WITH IMPROVED REMOVAL OF PHOSPHORUS AND NITROGEN.
Potential rate increase per year $310.

Option 2. TREATED WASTEWATER DISCHARGED TO MANAWATU RIVER AT TOTARA ROAD AND BELOW OPIKI BRIDGE, WITH SOME LAND APPLICATION.
Potential rate increase $300 to $450 per year, but total waste water charge per rateable unit $550 to 700 per year.

Option 3. TREATED WASTEWATER APPLIED TO LAND, WITH DISCHARGE TO THE MANAWATU RIVER IN EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
Potential rate increase per year $480 to $920 with a total waste water charge per rateable unit of $730 to $1200 a year.

Option 4. TREATED WASTEWATER APPLIED TO LAND, WITH SOME DISCHARGE TO THE MANAWATU RIVER,
Potential rate increase per year $340 to $730 but total wastewater charge per rateable unit $600 to $1000 a year.

Option 5. DISCHARGE TO GROUNDWATER VIA INFILTRATION WITH LAND APPLICATION IN DRIER MONTHS OF THE YEAR.
Potential rate increase $450 to $600 per year with a total waste water charge per rateable property of $750 to $860 per year.

Option 6. MOST OF THE TREATED WASTEWATER DISCHARGED TO THE OCEAN, AND SOME APPLIED TO LAND.
Potential rate increase per year $740 to $900 with a total waste water charge per rateable unit per year of $1,000 to $1,200 .


In my view Neighbours this is a death knell for Palmerston North as it proves Palmerston North is NOT a sustainable City.
Reasons. Firstly all the discharge to river or ocean are not options that can be considered with the Clean Rivers and Ocean policies that have now been adopted.
Secondly, anyone wanting to purchase a property in Palmerston North the Land Agents will have to disclose to their clients, that possible annual waste water charges will be about $1,000 on top of rates.
Thirdly, why is it that industrial use units will be paying the same waste water charges as a home unit?
Fourthly, what is the actual value then of your property if the rates are such that you cannot afford them.? Is PNCC going to reiterate that you see your bank and if freehold take out a mortgage to pay your rates ? or maybe WINZ will help you out?

PNCC is not being in my view honest with this consultation document and I would like to ask, why have they not applied for funds under the Government Infrastructure fund on offer for Councils. And if they have for this wastewater projects, why are the costs so high to ratepayers?

I understand that Horowhenua residents can also have their say on this proposal so I expect to hear from the Manawatu Estuary Trust the Save Our River Trust and Dr. Mike Joy. I hope Rachel Keedwell and all the P.N. Horizons Councillors will also be involved in keeping Palmerston North waste out of the river.

Why are we still discharging to water, when there are other options ?
Some years ago, I purchased a section in a suburb of the Gold Coast and all the sections had to cater for their own waste water within their boundaries. PNCC's District Plan put the kibbosh on that idea by allowing sections of 350 sq metres to be created for developers.
Ridiculous that they say their aims are a sustainable City when we cannot afford a waste water system.

the only option is a land based option but not including into the aquifers or ground water that could be access by bores for human consumption.

Time to look at shifting to another Council .