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Rotorua Lakes Council has approved a sewerage scheme option for Rotoma and East Rotoiti, after Environment Court action by iwi blocked its earlier plan for a land disposal system on Manawahe Road.
The plan was recommended by a committee on which iwi and ratepayer groups were represented, along with the council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and the Ministry of Health.
Committee chair Ian McLean says the next step will be to cost the option and apply for resource consent.
The new proposal is for a local wastewater treatment plant and land disposal system.
At Rotoma connections are to be by on-site low pressure grinder pumps.
At Rotoiti a trial will be done with on-site Biolytix wastewater pre-treatment units connected to the treatment plant.
If successful, Biolytix units will be used there, and if not, low-pressure grinder pumps, such as those at Rotoma, will be used.
If a land disposal site cannot be found within the lakes’ catchments, the proposed scheme would default to all properties being connected by low pressure grinder pumps and piped back to the Rotorua Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Issues still to be determined include the exact boundaries of different parts of the scheme, the precise nature of the land treatment system, and the site of the treatment plant.
Mr McLean says the scheme will qualify for subsidies from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry for the Environment, and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, making it affordable for ratepayers.
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