Featherston Wastewater treatment plant
At the Featherston Wastewater Treatment plant, sewage flows through a facultative pond, a maturation pond, and ultraviolet treatment. Discharge of the treated effluent is managed to Donald’s Creek depending on the conditions of the Resource Consents.
The plant was granted new consents on 25 August 2009 with a variation granted on 12 November 2010. These consents expired on 25 August 2012. The plant is currently operating under this expired consent. An application for new consents is on-going.
In general, the consent allows SWDC:
- to discharge treated wastewater to Donald’s creek at up to 9,000 cubic meters per day in dry weather and up to 12,000 cubic meters per day in wet weather.
- to discharge odours and other contaminants from the treatment process within the boundary.
Resource consents
Plant performance
Current Status: Compliant, but with the risks mentioned below
Period: July 2024
Commentary:
Major investment is required to achieve a new consent.
Renewal of the consent is being managed as a major project, and we are operating on an extension of the old consent.
The consent approval process currently underway will better inform the required capacity of the WWTP to cater for growth in Featherston beyond 2032.
A response to GWRC's request for further information regarding the septic tank discharge incident was supplied. It is likely that further enforcement action will be forthcoming.
Items of significance:
A significant effluent non-compliance occurred in May-June. This was due to the high volume of septic tank discharges (from Lake Ferry WWTP) being pumped into the pond via a nearby manhole. Operational mitigation of this event continues; other septic tank discharges have been stopped until the plant recovers adequately.
Plant continues to require ongoing management of resources, focused on effluent quality, to achieve compliance with consent requirements.
An updated set of draft consent conditions has been prepared for submission to Greater Wellington Regional Council, along with the s.92 response.