PROJECT ONE - Waipawa, Waipukurau and Otāne system upgrades

Background

In 2019, Central Hawke's Bay District Council formally responded to an environment court order concerning the Waipawa Wastewater Plant and outlined a proposed long term plan for the future of Waipawa, Waipukurau and Otane’s wastewater. Following two independent reviews, we know that the current Waipawa and Waipukurau plants will never be able to achieve compliance. This means that in order to meet regulations, major upgrades will need to take place. Otane’s current Wastewater Treatment Plant also required an upgrade to meet consent. To help guide our direction, a formal analysis took place through 2018 and 2019 which resulted in the decision that Otane’s wastewater should be conveyed toward Waipawa for treatment and discharge.

Through all of this, Council has been working closely with community members to develop options which focus on generational thinking to ensure a positive balance between the environmental health of our District, the strength of our infrastructure to enable Central Hawke’s Bay to Thrive, and affordability for all of our people.