Media Release - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Information sessions on Hokitika’s future wastewater treatment coming soon
The Project Working Group assessing potential solutions for the treatment and discharge of Hokitika’s wastewater is planning to host two information sessions for the community in November.
“The project is progressing well and it’s a good time to share with the community where we are up to and what the next steps are,” says Westland District Council Group Manager, District Assets, Scott Baxendale.
The information sessions are to be held at the Hokitika RSA on Saturday 4 November from 10am to 2pm and Wednesday 8 November from 4pm to 8pm.
“This is an opportunity to talk with the team, find out more about the options, to provide us with any feedback and let us know if you think we have missed anything,” Mr Baxendale says.
The goal is to identify a preferred solution early next year, which the community will have the opportunity to have their say on. The project is currently at the short-list investigations stage, with the Project Working Group assessing the technical details of the options.
“The community has told us through previous consultations that they want alternative options investigated, but it isn’t a simple case of option A, B or C. Under the Resource Management Act it is important that there is a robust and defendable approach to the alternatives assessment.
“The Project Working Group started with a long-list of 153 potential scheme options and reduced that list to 21 by comparative assessment. After further assessments, a short-list of 11 potential solutions was arrived at, and we are now assessing the technical details of these options. The shortlisted options include locations for the treatment plant, discharge receiving environments, and treatment types.
“I encourage everyone to pop in to one of these sessions. We are looking for a resilient wastewater treatment system for Hokitika, and feedback from the community at these sessions will feed into the multi criteria analysis the Project Working Group will be doing to evaluate the shortlist and identify a preferred solution for wider engagement,” Mr Baxendale says.
Information on the project can be found on the Council’s website
ENDS
Media enquiries to:
Emma Rae, Strategy and Communications Advisor