50 | Karen Phelps The Whāingaroa/Raglan Wastewater Treatment Plant accelerates natural processes that treats effluent so it can be returned (discharged) to the environment removing solids and pollutants. INFRASTRUCTURE Waikato District Council: Vector Powersmart - Raglan Wastewater Future proofing the region Whāingaroa/Raglan Wastewater Treatment Plant is undergoing a major upgrade. The result will be enhanced water quality and resilience for the community and better environmental outcomes, says Three Waters Manager for Waikato District Council Keith Martin. Whāingaroa/Raglan Wastewater Treatment Plant is one of nine treatment plants and part of Waikato District Council’s wastewater network, which comprises 341 km of pipes and 96 pump stations. The Whāingaroa/Raglan Wastewater Treatment Plant’s discharge consent expired in February 2020 and it is currently operating legally under the expired consent conditions. A short-term consent was applied for to allow time for the Council to investigate options for a longer-term environmentally friendly solution that will meet the needs of the growing Raglan community. Water makes up 99% of wastewater, the remaining 1% consists of human waste and food scraps, heavy metals (lead, zinc, copper), debris (sand, wood, plastic), oil and grease. The Whāingaroa/Raglan Wastewater Treatment Plant accelerates natural processes that treats effluent so it can be returned (discharged) to the environment removing solids and pollutants, breaking down organic matter, using U.V disinfection to kill bugs and restoring the oxygen content of treated water. Part of the solution to improve outcomes is a new plant being built to provide enhanced water quality for discharge purposes. This project is currently under procurement and Keith says it is expected this will be completed within three years. Keith says that the new plant will use the latest mechanical and biological processes to treat the water and will be supported by the existing pond system, which will further treat through U.V filtration, sunshine and anaerobic digestion, as well as provide additional storage capacity. “The new plant will use the latest mechanical and biological processes to treat the water and the existing pond system will further treat through U.V filtration, sunshine and anaerobic digestion.” An important recent innovation in the existing plant has been a solar array to generate power to operate the wastewater treatment plant with surplus generation fed into the national grid. It is made up of 392 interconnected solar panels, which connect to two 110kW inverters that convert the direct current power to the alternating current electricity and feed the power directly back into the grid. With an expected 30-year life cycle, each solar panel delivers 460 watts. Waikato District Council and water delivery partner, Watercare, in a joint venture with Vector Powersmart, led the project. Keith says that the project aligns to the on-going work Council is doing around planning adaptation and mitigation to build resilience around climate change and is an important project towards reducing Waikato District Council’s greenhouse gas emissions. At present the wastewater from Whāingaroa/Raglan Wastewater Treatment Plant is discharged on the outgoing tide twice daily. Keith says that this method was chosen to reduce treated effluent entering the harbour but the Council is investigating options for a longer-term environmentally friendly solution that will meet the needs of the growing Raglan community. During the investigation phase the Council conducted monthly e-meetings and communicated with key stakeholders, community representatives, hapu and other interested parties. Keith says these monthly meetings have provided a forum for wider discussion and informed the project team with an appreciation of the preferences of the community including emphasis on re-use and innovation approaches. 07 823 7337 info@collinsandsons.co.nz PO Box 871, Cambridge Collins & Sons • EARTHMOVING & CARTAGE • AGGREGATE DELIVERY & LANDSCAPING when you need us. Where you need us
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