PRESS RELEASE
Orewa, 30th July 2007

Available for immediate publication.

Wastewater inspections continue to flush out system faults

In-depth inspection of Rodney’s wastewater infrastructure continues with the council now turning its attention to Helensville, Red Beach and Stanmore Bay.

The inspections will involve council-appointed contractors checking for any faults that could compromise the efficiency of the district’s wastewater system, particularly during heavy rainfall.

Helensville, Red Beach and Stanmore Bay have all been identified as priorities for inspection, as periods of high rainfall have shown that significant amounts of stormwater and groundwater are making their way into sewerage pipes in those areas.

Large volumes of rainwater entering the wastewater system can cause system overloads, burst pipes and overflows and puts added pressure on the Army Bay and Helensville treatment plants. This in turn affects the ability of the Trunk pipeline and treatment plant to meet future growth demands.

As part of their inspections, the contractors will identify any damaged pipes, open joints or deteriorated manholes and check that past repairs are still up to standard.
It will also check that stormwater and wastewater pipes on private properties are correctly connected and that gully traps are at an acceptable height. Affected property owners will be contacted one week prior to survey work being undertaken.

The latest round of work follows the inspection of more than 1800 properties in the Warkworth, Duncansby, Snells Beach and Algies Bay areas, where more than 50 faults impacting on the wastewater system were detected. The council also undertook a closed circuit television (CCTV) inspection of 12.5km of main wastewater lines in Warkworth to gain a clear picture of what needs upgrading or replacing in the network and surveyed 170 manholes to aid in the design of future network upgrades and extensions.

Rodney District Council’s media manager, Mike Isle, says recent stormy weather has seen local sewerage systems put under pressure, indicating that rainwater is getting into the pipes.

“These inspections are vital for isolating what pipes or manholes need upgrading or replacing and identifying what other faults may be affecting the efficiency of our wastewater network,” he says.

The works are part of the council’s overall plans to reduce sewage overflows, free up capacity at the wastewater treatment plant and decrease pumping and treatment costs.

ENDS

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