30 October 2024
Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: Tarawera sewerage scheme
Enquiry
*NOTE: This is a follow up from a response provided by RLC last week and was sent to both RLC and BOP Regional Council, as was last week’s enquiry. We understand the regional council referred the reporter to RLC for all matters but will now be responding to some aspects that relate to the work they do.
It's a little challenging both councils have said the other is responsible for answering. Did you liase at all with one another on who would be most appropriate, and if not can I please ask you do so? Otherwise I will need to make it clear in the story what neither council answered/responded to.
I would have thought this would be an opportunity for the council to address some very real concerns in the community about the scheme.
Thanks for the explanation on how septic tanks work, it is helpful, but it doesn't address those concerns.
Also just noting the word 'leaks' is on the council's information on the poster.
Can I please have a more thorough explanation of that estimate?
Where does the ratio of occupied and unoccupied residences come from?
I found a 2015 report that says about 390 houses are located at the lake with about 25% permanently occupied by 290
residents. The remaining 75% of houses are used as holiday accommodation.
These are very different estimates so would be great to have some clarity on this please.
Can I also ask for the BoPRC explanation on whether septic tanks (including existing) are compliant or non compliant under current rules? And through what plan or policy?
When did they become non compliant?
RLC requested from the reporter a link to the 2015 report she was referring to and she provided the following:
link here, and similar in here
It's what came up when I searched for permanent occupancy at Tarawera in various ways
Response
RLC provided the following:
Regarding referring you to BOPRC: We referred you to BOPRC only in relation to the work that they do in terms of water quality.
Regarding the word 'leaks' on the information posters: That should have said “leaches” not leaks. Apologies for not making that clarification clear in our previous response to you.
Regarding RLC estimate of 450 homes: This is the approximate number of homes that will be connecting to the reticulation scheme, based on our rating database. The 20% reduction that is factored in is also an estimate as the council does not hold data on how many homes are occupied full-time, part-time or are rented out as holiday accommodation.
Regarding the 2015 and other report you have cited: These reports were not prepared by or for Rotorua Lakes Council so we can’t speak to these numbers.
BOP Regional Council provided the following response (highlighted portions are from the reporter’s request and are followed by BOPRC staff’s responses. BOPRS also sent the reporter the attached LGOIMA request and letter that was sent to Tarawera residents:
RE: In her LGOIMA response from BOPRC: The information on the Rotorua Lakes Council website is not entirely accurate. Any new septic tank systems in the Rotorua lakes’ catchments are a discretionary activity (under rule 4) and require an application for resource consent to be made. Plan Change 14 was not progressed past the draft stage due to the requirement to undertake the freshwater plan change that came through the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management. The decision was made to incorporate the On-site Effluent Treatment (OSET) requirements within the current freshwater plan change process."
Matthew Harrex- Our view is that there was an oversimplification of the rules in our Regional OSET plan where RLC had stated that the use of septic tanks has been banned in Tarawera since 2017 and that Plan change 14 has required them to reticulated the areas.
It should go on to say (as her LGOIMA response did) that it is unlikely a resource consent would be granted for a septic tank in a lake catchment where reticulation is available as that is against plan provisions because is not best practice to protect water quality in a lake catchment – considering cumulative effects.
The plan needs to make provision for situations where connections to reticulation aren’t technically feasible and this is what this discretionary rule does.
RE: Aside from reticulation what has been done to improve or halt degradation of water quality at Tarawera?
Helen Creagh - In relation to other things that have been done to improve the water quality of Lake Tarawera –the Restoration Plan for the Tarawera Catchments adopted by the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Strategy Group in 2015 and prepared with the input of a community working party. It is this Restoration Plan that drives the interventions to protect water quality in the Tarawera Lakes catchments, including the decision to proceed with sewerage reticulation. This plan includes 10 actions which have all either been implemented or are being implemented, e.g. sewerage reticulation. Key actions include the development of environmental management plans for all farms in the Tarawera Catchments – (this was completed in 2018) and sewerage reticulation.
RE: Have there been any studies to see the impact of reticulation on other Te Arawa lakes and if so what are the details?
Andy Bruere: I’m not aware of any other studies on the impact of a completed reticulation system in the Rotorua lakes but there have been a number of studies on the impacts of septic tank leachate. Of course, we are almost always working in a complex environment and so there will be multiple impacts from all activities within the environment. It is not always easy to precisely attribute the impact to the sources. In general, however, septic tanks have been found to contribute nitrogen and bacterial contamination to varying degrees. This is not an exhaustive list of reports on the subject but there are enough reports here to show you the general problem (see links below). The fourth link below is a specific report modelling the effects of sewage reticulation on Lake Tarawera.
The work being undertaken by the University of Waikato on the impact of sewage reticulation in this community was requested in an attempt to quantify the benefits or otherwise in this catchment. Due to the complexity of the environment and other potential inputs we remain open minded as to what the monitoring project may find.
In addition, sewage reticulation is not selected solely to reduce contamination. In some areas due to soil type/geology and available land area, on-site effluent systems may simply not be appropriate. A study undertaken for BOPRC concluded for the Tarawera community, a significant proportion of the properties did not have a suitable area of land available for adequate on-site treatment. I have included a link to this report.
Microsoft Word - wanz09Final00012.DOC
SEPTIC TANKS LEACHATE STUDY FOR ROTORUA LAKES - STAGE 2.pdf
12FEB-LGOIMA-Modelling-the-impact-of-sewage-reticulation-on-water-quality-of-Lake-Tarawera.pdf
Microsoft Word - Second Final Draft On-Site Capability Lake Tarawera Report.docx
RE: Can I also ask for the BoPRC explanation on whether septic tanks (including existing) are compliant or non compliant under current rules? And through what plan or policy?
When did they become non compliant?
Matt Harrex -
The On-Site Effluent Treatment (OSET) Regional Plan (August 2006), with plan changes in March 2011 and August 2014, regulates discharges from septic tanks.
Refer to Flow Diagram 1 and rule 6 in the OSET Plan. For the Lake Tarawera maintenance zone septic tanks became discretionary 1 December 2017. Link: Maintenance Zone of Tarawera
The OSET Regional Plan became operative in August 2006
The specific rule for Lake Tarawera came into effect on 1 December 2017.
OSET’s have long been known to contribute to water quality issues in the Rotorua Lakes and our policies and plans support the reticulation of the Tarawera community. When reticulation becomes available our plan supports connection to the reticulated network. If people choose not to connect they will need to apply for a resource consent which is not supported by our policies. An existing septic tank system in a reticulated zone is required to be limited notified to RLC, an AWTS (Aerated Wastewater Treatment System) will need a letter of support from RLC (which they are unlikely to give). Any application is likely to go through some form of notification without any guarantee of it being granted. Any existing septic tank system without a resource consent within the Lake Tarawera community are currently non-compliant. This has been communicated to the community for an extended time. Attached is a copy of a letter sent from both councils to all Tarawera Ratepayers in 2021. It also made it clear that with the expected reticulation Bay of Plenty Regional Council has not actively enforced the upgrade requirements within the Plan. Bay of Plenty Regional Council has not required property owners to spend significant amount of money to upgrade their systems because it is expected that reticulation is soon to be available.
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Media: RadioNZ
Topic: Hearings for motel consent applications for emergency housing
Enquiry
I see the hearings for these consent applications are scheduled to begin on Monday. Is that correct?
How many hearings and over how many days?
What is the process for the hearings?
Will submitters have a chance to speak to their submissions?
Will there also be expert opinion and information presented from council staff?
Response
We provided the following information:
We’ve just uploaded the Notice of Hearing to our website – you can view that here
There will be one hearing which will be held across three days and incorporates all seven applications. The dates for the hearing are Tuesday 5 November to Thursday 7 November – 9.30am – 4.30pm each day.
The hearing will be held at Sir Howard Morrison Centre (Te Whakaruruhau Banquet Room) and is open to the public. It won’t be livestreamed but audio recordings will be published to our website following the hearing.
We are still working through the agenda of who will speak when, but it will essentially follow the same order that is shown on the website for when documentation was submitted:
• s42A report (Rotorua Lakes Council Planner Report and evidence)
• Applicant
• Submitters (those who have indicated that they wish to be heard)
• RLC Right of Reply
• Applicant Right of Reply
The Commissioner will officially close the hearing when he has enough information to make his decision. This may require further information to be provided outside the set hearing times. Once the hearing is closed the commission will then make his decision. There is no set timeframe for this.
Note: for taking photos at the hearing, please apply through our news inbox for the independent commissioner's approval.
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Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: Hearings for motel consent applications for emergency housing
Enquiry
someone able to please provide me with the details of next week's hearing on the MHUD motel consent extension applications?
Where, who, when etc please.
Response
We provided the following information:
We’ve just uploaded the Notice of Hearing to our website – you can view that here
There will be one hearing which will be held across three days and incorporates all seven applications. The dates for the hearing are Tuesday 5 November to Thursday 7 November – 9.30am – 4.30pm each day.
The hearing will be held at Sir Howard Morrison Centre (Te Whakaruruhau Banquet Room) and is open to the public. It won’t be livestreamed but audio recordings will be published to our website following the hearing.
We are still working through the agenda of who will speak when, but it will essentially follow the same order that is shown on the website for when documentation was submitted:
- s42A report (Rotorua Lakes Council Planner Report and evidence)
- Applicant
- Submitters (those who have indicated that they wish to be heard)
- RLC Right of Reply
- Applicant Right of Reply
The Commissioner will officially close the hearing when he has enough information to make his decision. This may require further information to be provided outside the set hearing times. Once the hearing is closed the commission will then make his decision. There is no set timeframe for this.
Note: for taking photos at the hearing, please apply through our news inbox for the independent commissioner's approval.
*NOTE: Permission was subsequently submitted and was granted by the Commissioner, with conditions (no photos of people without their consent and no photos of the Commissioner's notes or computer screen).
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Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: Dog attack
Enquiry
Reporter requested update on a recent dog attack that resulted in a woman being injured. Response
Having last week indicated there was no update at that time but that we expected to be able to provide one this week, we have provided the following information:
The owner of the dogs involved in the recent attack on Sunset Road will have his first appearance in the Rotorua District Court on November 6.
