Tarawera Sewerage Scheme
Lake Rotokākahi
Construction/Installation
Costs
Q: What is the cost of the scheme?
As at September 2024:
| TCC Scheme Phase | Budget approved (million) | Contingency (million) | Total (million) | Budget used (million) | Budget remaining (million) | % Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planning / Design / Legal: | $2.48m | $0 | $2.48m | $2.48m | $0.02m | 99.92% |
| Stage 1 - Reticulation and Pumping Stations: | $13.38m | $1.34m | $14.72m | $11.0m | $3.68 | 74.98% |
| Stage 2 - Onsite LPGP installations (Start October 2024): | $11.03m | $1.10m | $12.13m | $0.43m | $12.0m | 0.36% |
| Totals: | $26.89m | $2.43m | $29.32m | $13.6m | $15.7m | 58.42% |
Q: How is this being funded?
The scheme is partially funded by the Ministry for the Environment (MfE), Rotorua Lakes Council (RLC) and Bay of Plenty Regional Council (BOPRC). Under the current funding policy, the rest of the cost will be met by contributions from the owner of each property that benefits from the scheme:
- MfE: $6.5 million
- BOPRC: $750,000
- RLC: $1,485,000 ($2,700 contribution per property (increase from $1,500 approved as part of Long-term Plan 2024-2034 decisions). RLC using balance sheet for upfront borrowings ($20.2 million) to progress.
Total: $8,735,000 million
Council continues to work with the Tarawera community to try and explore additional funding options above what has already been confirmed.
Q: Similar schemes are 50% government funded, why is Tarawera not?
Similar schemes in the district were Crown Deed funded, MfE committed $72.1m in a Deed of Funding arrangement in 2005 for the four priority lakes only – Rotorua, Rotoehu, Rotoiti and Okareka. That Crown Funding included other interventions for water quality improvements on those targeted lakes that covered the BOPRC’s programmes in a rough order attribution of $32m to RLC and $40m to the BOPRC.
Lake Tarawera was not included in the Crown Deed Funding. However, the Tarawera Sewerage Reticulation Scheme has been granted a separate $6.5 million from MfE’s Freshwater Improvement Fund following an application jointly made by the Council and the community representatives.
Q: What will I pay?
Based on the current capital funding plan (with the current $8.0 M subsidies) the average net capital cost to each property, for the whole scheme (Stage 1 and 2), would be in the range of $38,000 – $42,000 (GST Excl) with the Stage 2 per property average installation costs, based on the tenders, approximately being $25,000 (GST Excl).
The range of expected average net cost for each property outlined above is on the basis that no further funding assistance and additional to the currently known sources ($8.735 M) is available.
Q: The financial contribution is broken down into 2 parts:
Part 1: A share of the cost of installing the Tarawera reticulation network. The cost will be divided by 550, so each property will pay 1/550th of the network construction cost. Undeveloped sections will pay Part 1 only. This would cover the section’s contribution to the cost of the network construction and would leave a connection point in the street pipe for any future installation.
Part 2: An equal share of the total cost for installing LPGP systems onto all properties. Future operational, maintenance and renewal costs will be carried out by all ratepayers in the district connected to the council wastewater networks as part of the wastewater targeted rate (an estimated extra $30- 40 annually).
Each property benefiting from the scheme will pay both Part 1 and Part 2 contributions.
Properties with two or more dwellings will be assessed for additional Part 2 payments covering the additional connections required. This depends on the size of each additional dwelling and will be calculated in accordance with the %HUE each additional dwelling represents. The %HUE calculation is explained on page 130 in the Long-term Plan - (PDF, 7.1MB).
Q: What will I pay for an undeveloped section?
Undeveloped sections will pay Part 1 only, covering the section’s contribution to the cost of the network construction and leaving a connection point in the road/street pipe for future installation.
Part 2 would become payable if/when the section is developed and an LPGP pump is connected to the network.
Property owners
Q: Ownership and operation of on-property systems
Some property owners believe that on-property systems should be privately owned and maintained by the property owner. However, LPGP systems are complex and last about 20-25 years.
If property owners were responsible, they would need to handle all costs for operating, maintaining, repairing, and upgrading the system themselves. In contrast, under the current Council policy, these costs are covered by sewerage rates paid by all connected ratepayers.
The Medical Officer of Health insists that such systems should be managed by the Council to ensure consistent and reliable health protection. Council officers also recommend against private ownership, as managing a mix of private and public systems would be difficult. For effective operation, the LPGPs must work together as part of a coordinated system.
Therefore, officers suggest that either all properties have private systems or none do, and all should be part of the publicly managed sewerage network.
Q: Self-installation by property owners
Some property owners want to install on-property systems themselves. The preferred contractor for Stage 2 is willing to enter into private contracts with these owners. Payment would be arranged privately, and the Council would not be involved.
If property owners choose this option, they must use the nominated contractor to benefit from the tender's cost savings and complete the work within a set timeframe. The work must meet Council standards for the network to function properly. Failure to meet deadlines may result in enforcement actions under the Local Government Act.
Owners who self-install will be responsible for their share of the preliminary and general costs from the Stage 2 contract, ensuring fairness to those who don’t self-install.
Q: What do I do if there’s a fault with my LPGP?
Rotorua Lakes Council can be called 24/7 for assistance. The operator will help you to resolve simple issues over the phone and dispatch a maintenance contractor if required. If the LPGP unit detects a fault, a red warning light will illuminate on the unit’s control box. The user instructions provided with the unit will describe what to do when this happens.
Q: I use my property infrequently, what should I know?
If you leave your property unused for a long time, just flush water through the system occasionally to keep the pipe from your house to the street clear. Instructions for this will come with the unit.
Q: I let my property (long term rental or short-term holiday let), what should I know?
You should provide clear instructions about not flushing, non-flushable items. Rotorua Lakes Council can provide signs and stickers to help you warn tenants.
Do your part to protect the health of our community downloadable poster - (PDF, 2.6MB)
Q: I am planning to build a new dwelling or subdivide, what must I do?
Discharge to land falls within the Bay of Plenty Regional Council jurisdiction. It may be possible to install an interim wastewater system until the LPGP installation for the property is installed. Please contact Rotorua Lakes Council on 07 348 4199 to speak with the Engineers Representative.
Q: What can and can't be flushed?
You should use the LPGP system in the same way as you do for a septic tank or AWTS system. No nappies, sanitary napkins, tampons or wet wipes (including those that are marked as flushable) can be flushed through the LPGP system. Property owners can be held liable for repairs in such cases.
Q: I have an Aerated Wastewater Treatment System (AWTS), can I continue to use it?
The Local Government Act requires that properties connect to a reticulated wastewater system if one is provided. Where a consented AWTS is in place the system can be used until the expiry of the consent. After that, the property owner is unlikely to get a new consent and will have to connect to the reticulation scheme at the actual cost at that time.
Q Can I apply for a resource consent for an Aerated Wastewater Treatment System with Nitrogen Reduction?
Yes, but with a sewerage reticulation available, when assessing the discretionary activity resource consent application, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council would need to consider it against (amongst other matters) the policy direction which supports connecting to reticulation where it is available. Also, in accordance with the Discretionary Activity rule – see Rule 14(5) ), the application would need to be supported in writing by Rotorua Lakes Council, which will not be forthcoming. These circumstances determine the likelihood of such an application having to be publicly notified and it will be unlikely consent will be granted at the end of the process.
History
Quick links
- Map showing pipeline installation progress - (JPG, 267KB)
- Graphic representation of the pipeline under-stream crossing - (JPG, 1.26MB)
- How close is the pipeline to Lake Rotokākahi? - (JPG, 1.46MB)
- Sewerage Scheme options - estimated costing summary - (JPG, 720KB)
- Public wastewater pipelines located within 25m of a lake shore graph - (JPG, 1.79MB)
- 2023 Archaeological survey and assessment - (PDF, 3MB)
- 2019 Cultural Impact Assessment - (PDF, 2MB)
- 2017 Cultural Impact Assessment - (PDF, 2.2MB)
