18 | DEVELOPMENT Ruapehu District Council - Owhango Water Treatment Plant Futureproof water supply for Owhango Originally built by local farmers in the 1980s, the old scheme has served the once tiny settlement well. T T Lindy Andrews Clean, safe drinking water was something New Zealand took for granted. That was until 2016, when some 5,500 Havelock North residents fell ill with the waterborne disease campylobacteriosis, caused by sheep faeces entering the town’s groundwater supply. Eight years later, nearly half a million New Zealanders do not have access to safe supplies, according to water service regulator Taumata Arowai’s first ever comprehensive overview of the nation’s drinking water. A secure, safe drinking water supply for Owhango is a very welcome step in the upgrade of Ruapehu District Council’s infrastructure, says Water Engineer, Stuart Watson. Originally built by local farmers in the 1980s, the old scheme has served the once tiny settlement well. But with the number of permanent residents growing in the village, holiday homes springing up and a thriving environmental tourism sector, a new bespoke water treatment plant is about to take its place. Owhango also marks the end of The 42 Traverse, a 46 km multi-use track through the Tongariro Forest Conservation Area and one of the most challenging mountain biking tracks in the North Island. The $3.8 million upgrade includes much-needed protozoa filters to protect locals and visitors alike from waterborne diseases such as giardia, cryptosporidium and campylobacteriosis. “This project has been accelerated as part of our required water treatment plant upgrades,” Stuart says. “We’ve been working in association with Filtec to develop a bespoke plant that is being built off-site as a containerised solution.” “This is very much in line with central Government’s thinking that wherever possible Councils use containerised solutions rather than develop new larger, more expensive designs each time.” Owhango’s water supply is taken from a tributary of the Whakapapa River in the Tongariro State Forest, known as Deep Creek. Seemingly pristine and clear, the catchment runs through some of this country’s finest native forest. “Just because a stream looks clean and pure, that doesn’t mean it is suitable for drinking,” says Stuart. “We need everyone – including travellers – to understand the health values of treated water.” Upstream of the treatment plant, a coarse screen takes care of debris, twigs, leaves and the like while protecting the pipeline from damage. Once the water enters the treatment plant, the protozoa filters get to work. Deer, possums and other wildlife carry minute disease-bearing cysts in their gut. These cysts house the protozoa, which are invisible to the naked eye and have a tough protective shell. The plant’s protozoa membranes remove these unseen, disease carrying waterborne perils. Notably, the system will also reduce turbidity spikes, which occur when heavy rainfall stirs up sediment, making drinking water cloudy and potentially unpalatable. “Before you design the waka, you need to take your ideas to the totara and say, ‘this is what we’re going to do’.” Safe, clean drinking water is not only something to be valued by Owhango, but by all New Zealand.” Resourcing the world Improving water quality for our clients. For over two decades, Veolia has maintained a strong partnership with the Ruapehu District Council (RDC), providing comprehensive operation and maintenance services, as well as implementing capital upgrade works for their treatment plants and networks across the three waters sector. In collaboration with RDC and Filtec, Veolia is enthusiastic about contributing its expertise to the development of the new Owhango Water Treatment Plant. Upon commissioning, this facility will be operated by Veolia's treatment team based in Taumarunui. This strategic partnership exemplifies the synergy between two industry leaders, offering a cost-effective solution to the ongoing challenge of supplying high-quality water to small-town New Zealand. The alliance between Veolia, RDC, and Filtec represents an innovative approach to addressing the unique water infrastructure needs of rural communities, combining local knowledge with global expertise to ensure sustainable and efficient water management practices. 0800 325 542 RETHINK WATER None of this could have been achieved without buy-in from the locals. Numerous iwi representatives attended the site prior to construction getting underway. “Before you design the waka, you need to take your ideas to the totara and say, ‘this is what we’re going to do’.” Safe, clean drinking water is not only something to be valued by Owhango, but by all New Zealand, Stuart adds.
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