The Drainage Manager called the meeting to order and called for apologies.

RESOLVED

THAT the apology of His Worship the Mayor be received and sustained.

ODD99/1 Reid/Johansen CARRIED

The Drainage Manager called for nominations for the position of Chairman.

Mr Harvey Reid was nominated but declined the nomination.

Further nominations were called for.

RESOLVED

THAT Mr Ian Wood be nominated as Chairman of the Opukeko Drainage District Committee.

ODD99/2 Reid/Reid CARRIED

There being no further nominations, Mr Ian Wood was declared Chairman.

As Mr Wood could not attend the full meeting Mr Harvey Reid chaired the meeting.

Attached was a copy of the Hauraki District Council Paeroa Sewage Treatment and Disposal Options Report.

Mr Somers (Utilities Manager) outlined the proposal.

Mr Brian Duncan (Consultant) gave a presentation on the Paeroa Sewage Treatment Disposal proposal.

Issues raised during the discussion were:

The issue of more water being put into a drainage system that could not cope with what it already had.

Whether the capacity of the Hubbards Road pump station would be increased.

Mr Somers commented that it had been assumed that the Committee would not accept any degradation in services.

Whether enough investigation into other possible sites for the proposal had been carried out.

A number of investigations into the upgrading of the treatment plant had been carried out since April 1996 and the reports on these were available to members.

Mr Somers advised that the upgrading of the existing plant had been looked into but it had been found that this would be extremely expensive. It would be cheaper to build a new plant on a new site. A number of sites had been looked at around Paeroa and the most suitable land was found to be north of Paeroa in the Opukeko catchment.

Ownership of the land was needed as the continuation of spraying the discharge onto the pasture meant that the land was not productive and the only things that could be grown were trees. Ideally land disposal was considered the ultimate option, but if the water could be disposed of into the river with no environmental effect it was the cheaper option.

The possible health hazard from the irrigation of the land and the overflow onto neighbouring farms was discussed.

Mr Duncan advised that there was a health standard for irrigation to pasture land that was grazed by stock, and the water quality would have to be achieved to meet this standard.

Septage being brought into the plant from out of the District was of concern as well as the possible odour problem.

Mr Somers advised that the septage brought into the plant would be carefully monitored and if an odour problem was experienced this could be with by the installation of a biofilter. A biofilter had been installed at the Hayward Road sewer pump station in Ngatea and had successfully combated the odour problem that was being experienced there.

Mr Somers advised that a resource consent process would need to be gone through with the opportunity for appeals to be made. Discussion on the best possible option could be held but the hearing for the proposal would determine what would be allowed.

The issue of compensation was raised. Property owners were concerned about the pipeline that would have to be laid through their farms and what form of compensation would be made available to them.

An agreement between Council and the landowners regarding compensation would have to be reached.

Mr Wood left the meeting at 11.10 am.

Devaluation of farms as a result of the sewerage line going through the properties.

Mr Somers advised that once the site was established there would be no adverse effect on the property. The question was what effect it would have in the meantime.

Planting and landscaping of the site would be carried out and a grass embankment of approximately 1.5 metres high would surround the pond structure.

The issue of noise from the plant was raised.

Mr Somers advised that an aerator would have to be installed but there were noise standard requirements that would have to be met. The level of noise would be minimal and this was one of the issues that would be covered in the resource consent.

The extra maintenance of drains and concern that this would become an extra funding on the Opukeko Drainage Committee was raised.

The amount of additional traffic using Hubbards Road was also of concern and whether the road would be upgraded was asked.

Mr Somers advised that the effect of additional traffic on the road would be monitored.

Mr Somers summarised that the main concerns noted from the discussion were:

Septage

Additional flooding

Property values

Additional operating costs to the Drainage Committee

Odour

Additional traffic use

Mr Somers advised that the issues raised would be addressed at the next meeting of the Paeroa Sewage Treatment Committee and he would advise the Drainage Committee of the possible resolutions to these concerns.

The meeting closed at 11.35 am.

CONFIRMED

H A Reid