Seaview Wastewater Treatment Plant
The Seaview Wastewater Treatment Plant serves a population of about 160,000 in Upper Hutt, Lower Hutt and Wainuiomata. The wastewater is treated or cleaned through a series of screens, tanks, bioreactors, clarifiers and ultraviolet treatments before being discharged into the open sea near near Pencarrow Head / Te Raeakiaki where it is quickly diluted.
Odour level indicators
The level of odour experienced by the community is influenced by many internal and external factors.
With all these variables, odour can't be forecast with a high level of confidence.
What we can do is monitor the internal factors at the plant which can give an indication of possible odour, and communicate these clearly.
The health and balance of the plant
Seaview Wastewater Treatment Plant uses a biological process to help treat wastewater, which we work to keep healthy and balanced. Two key indicators for the health and balance of the plant are Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids and Dissolved Oxygen levels.
When they are within target range, it is a good indication that we can expect odour to be at a minimum, unless there is an operational issue at the plant.
Plant maintenance and operations
Seaview is an aging plant, with routine operations and maintenance occurring every day, and unplanned urgent maintenance commonly needed to address issues as they crop up. Major project work is intermittent as we continue to address odour and work to upgrade the dryer.
All of these can affect the level of odour experienced by the community, so we work to keep people as up-to-date as possible with all the plant's maintenance and operations.
Odour Update
Did you know? The direction of the wind can impact where odour is experienced. Commonly, a northerly impacts residents of the southern suburbs, while a southerly can carry odour up the valley where it affects residents in the northern suburbs. The weather forecast can let you know what way the wind will be blowing.
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Seaview Newsletter
Find more information about plant activity and projects
Odour Project
Learn more about the ongoing works to reduce odour at Seaview Wastewater Treatment Plant
Making a complaint
Plant performance
Resource consents
Resource consent reports
Public health statements on the use of the treatment plant odour neutraliser
Independent assessment on the impact of the odour neutralisers
Odour Investigation Reports
Consents
One of the nine resource consents permitting the operation of the plant, consent ‘WGN120142 [33408] Discharge Treated Wastewater to Stream ' expired in 2018.
Prior to the expiry of this consent, Hutt City Council applied to Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) for a new consent to temporarily discharge treated wastewater to the Waiwhetū Stream.
While the reconsenting is underway, we continue to operate under the existing consent.
In general, the consents allow Hutt City Council to:
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discharge treated and partially treated effluent through an existing outfall,
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discharge mixed disinfected, treated and milli-screened wastewater during and/or immediately after heavy rainfall,
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discharge mixed disinfected, treated and milli-screened wastewater during maintenance,
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discharge of contaminants to the air, and
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to occupy the stream and coastal marine area with an outfall structure.