Whakapapa sewerage problems gone by 1996

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 508, 19 October 1993, Page 7 (Supplement)

Whakapapa sewerage problems gone by 1996

Whakapapa' s sewerage problems are a step closer to being solved, with a report outlining the Department of Conservation' s preferred reticulation and treatment system released for public comment this month. "Under the Resource Management Act the present situation with sewerage and effluent disposal on Whakapapa is unacceptable," said Don Bogie, Department of Conservation field centre manager, who has prepared a 69-page report outlining the problems and the proposed scheme. "DoC have looked at about 10 different options of which the one proposed is one of the most expensive at $2.8 million but the cheapest to maintain over the next 50 years,"" he said. It also meets with the two Iwi groups (Tuwharetoa and Whanganui) whose land is at the base of Mount Ruapehu. "The initial capital costs for this system are high but this is balanced with low on-going maintenance and an overall cost-effective-

ness during the life of the system," said Mr Bogie. The scheme inVolves a 5km pipeline to an appro ved treatment plant in Landcorp area which would process the effluent to be sprayed on surrounding land to make it more productive. The pipeline would be well away from any possible lahar routes. DoC would expect Ruapehu Alpine Lifts to be a major contributor to the scheme, said Mr Bogie. "RAL would agree to their proposed $1 million contribution as existing effluent disposal by truck and helicopter (from upper skifield lodges) is already very expensive," said RAL general manager Dave Mazey in a radio interview on Saturday. "RAL would like the chance to tender for some of the tunnelling and trenching work on and below the skifield itself in order to combine it with our proposed electrical and snowmaking reticulation," said Mr Mazey. He said RAL do not pro-

pose to raise lift pass prices as the $1 million cost to RAL can be spread out over the next 50-60 years. Iwikau Village and upper skifield club lodges, which accommodate up to 1500 people at night, is to be served by the scheme. "Sewerage effluent disposal (septic tanks) have to be emptied every week by truck from Iwikau Village and by helicopter from upper skifield lodges which is costly and inefficient," said mountain clubs spokesman Brian Anderson. "Club lodges would agree to the proposed scheme in the interests of their club members. It's the only way they can guarantee security of tenure under the RMA when their licences come up for renewal," he said. The proposed work is due to be started in 1995 and be completed by the 1996 ski season. "We'd like to start tomorrow, but there are a lot of consents to be gained yet," said Mr Bogie. He said DoC had to get a RMA con-

sent, a land use consent and, as it was to be a user-pays scheme, they would also like approval from all affected groups. Although DoC is not

obliged to do so until they apply for the RMA consent, submissions from the public have been called for now. They close on 30 November.

"We'd like to know now what people' s thoughts are on the scheme so we can reach agreement on it." A decision on whether to proceed with the preferred

option will be made in January 1994, following evaluation of the submissions. Copies of the report are available for viewing at field centres.