Wastewater overflow at Eltham Wastewater Treatment Plant

Following last week’s continuous and at times heavy rain, we experienced high flows and considerable volumes of effluent and stormwater coming into the Eltham Wastewater Treatment Plant.

This, along with the significant saturation of the surrounding area and the high river levels and resultant erosion, caused the riverside bank of the overflow pond at Eltham Wastewater Treatment Plant to collapse on Saturday morning. This has resulted in the effluent in the overflow pond to empty out into a tributary of the Mangawhero Stream (70% of the pond volume has been lost).

The overflow was notified to the Taranaki Regional Council (TRC). TRC has given us permission to do emergency work in the stream to remove the debris and return the stream to its normal course. This work is to be started in the next couple of days and we expect it to take another couple of days to complete.

We are in discussions with contractors and TRC about what temporary actions can be taken and what work can be done to the bank to stop the ongoing unregulated discharge. TRC is undertaking regular monitoring, including taking water samples.

Overflow signage has been erected at Castle Street Bridge in Eltham and at Ōhawe Beach. Please do not collect fish/shellfish and plant life or come into contact with the water at these locations. The warning signs will remain in place until levels are considered safe.