Maori values to help treat wastewater clean up

Aerial shot of the proposed Water Restoration Land Contact Bed, SUPPLIED

Rotorua Lakes Council is taking a lead incorporating Maori values and matauranga into its wastewater treatment programme.

Infrastructure general manager Stavros Michael and Te Arawa kaumatua Te Taru White, a trained engineering geologist, have been sharing with the wastewater industry its planned solution to replace spraying partially-treated effluent in the Whakarewarewa Forest.

It found the effluent was ending up in adjacent streams and lakes.

Mr Michael says after talks with the tribe it was agreed more processing should be done at the council’s Sulphur Point facility, after which the water will through a land contact bed of rocks and vegetation which mimics natural water cleansing processes.

"It was very important to work together with Te Arawa, to vary the scientific treatment of wastewater in conjunction with the spiritual and cultural cleansing of water through a land contact system," he says.

The proposed system can handle up to 70 million litres of wastewater a day, compared with the current 20 million litres.

STAVROS MICHAEL INTERVIEW

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