Focus on basics - Northern Advocate - 7th June 2011

Sewage woes - Northern Advocate - 6th May 2011

I have just received the following; Media Release - 2 May 2011 - Heavy rain causes sewage contamination. During heavy rain over the weekend stormwater infiltrated the sewer system and caused overflows from the Hatea pumping station on Whareora Rd and Waverly Street pump station in Onerahi, and from a number of manholes. The city’s main wastewater treatment plant went into bypass mode.

Wasn’t this all fixed, or to be fixed?

The Whangarei District Council fail to report these many spills as “Front Page News” but continually fill our media with their spending on new projects; additional bridges, additional museums, additional walkways and cycle ways, additional art galleries, stadiums etc. and I could go on.

It’s time that they really focused on the basic core infrastructure that has an effect on health and environment as those alone will truly beautify our city encouraging more to come here.

Some may think I’m negative, but isn’t regularly allowing ‘raw untreated sewage’‘(logic tells me that is what comes from manholes) into our streams rivers and harbour more so?

Surely it’s time that they concentrated on improving what we already have, work with the community groups and businesses to upgrade the facilities already in place, whilst we finalise the above needed sewerage improvements

Warren Slater

Maunu

(items abridged in italics for Northern Advocate copy 7th June2011)