Group Consultation for a wastewater discharge consent avoids hearing

Waikato District Council reapplied for a Resource Consent to discharge treated municipal wastewater from the township of Te Kauwhata, situated in the Waikato region. The present discharge from the Wastewater Treatment Plant enters Lake Waikare which has extensive recreational use, is at the headwaters of the Whangamarino Wetland and is also a major component of the Lower Waikato River flood scheme. The Lake is in poor health, is very shallow and heavily impacted by farming activities. From a cultural perspective Lake Waikare is significantly important to iwi who have traditional kaitiakitanga responsibilities for the mauri of the lake. Iwi and other submitters want the discharge removed from the lake. Agreement has finally been reached by all parties that consent for 15 years can be granted for the present discharge on the proviso that WDC commits to a programme of investigation towards the removal of the discharge from the Lake. WDC has also committed to spending $45,000 per year towards mitigation planting within the Lake Waikare catchment.