Conflicting? - Whangarei Leader - 2nd August 2011

A press release on Whangarei District Council’s website: “Heavy rain results in sewage spill and storm water man holes popping; A sewage spill has been identified at the Hatea Pump Station in Whangarei. The spill is as the result of heavy downpours this afternoon and sewage has spilled into the Hatea River”. Updated: 25/07/2011 9:31 a.m.

Then an email release by WDC to “stakeholders” on Tuesday at 8.17am states:- “Due to the recent heavy rainfalls our sewage system experienced an overflow and extreme bypass (partially treated effluent) event into the Hatea River and as a result the Medical Officer of Health has advised as follows”……

Conflicting or not?

The Hatea pump station is in Whareora Road, I ask ‘How can spills into the Hatea River from this location be “partially treated effluent”, as quoted in their email?’

Another ‘fudging of the facts’ of this serious issue facing Whangarei?

Focus on fixing this problem by putting all available funds into repairing our failing sewerage system and leave the ‘other projects’, with less potential serious health impact, on the back burner until we have zero spills into our harbour.

By allowing these continual spills to occur, are our councils being negligent?

Warren Slater

Maunu