Martinborough Wastewater Treatment Plant
At the Martinborough Wastewater Treatment plant, sewage flows through an aerated facultative pond, a series of maturation ponds and ultraviolet treatment. Discharge of the treated effluent is managed to either an adjacent block of land by irrigation or to the Ruamahanga River depending on the season, river levels and conditions of the Resource Consents.
The plant was granted new consents on 11 February 2016. These consents will continue for 35 years (expire 11 February 2051).
In general, the consents allow SWDC:
- to discharge treated wastewater to land via an irrigation system at a flow rate of 795m3/day (Stage 1B) and 4300m3/d (Stages 2A and 2B)
- to discharge treated wastewater to the Ruamahanga River at an annual average daily flow of up to 650 cubic meters per day and at a maximum daily rate of up to 4,300 cubic meters per day
- to discharge treated wastewater to land via seepage from the oxidation ponds
- to discharge odours from the oxidation ponds within the boundary
- to discharge odours and other contaminants from irrigation of treated wastewater to land within the boundary.
Resource Consents
Plant Perfomance
Current Status: non-compliant
Period: December 2023
Commentary:
In August 2023, a “To Do Abatement Notice” was issued for Martinborough. This Notice replaces the Abatement Notice issued in 2022, although the WWTP still remains non-compliant.
WWL and SWDC are working together to address the items raised in the new Notice, as part of the compliance upgrade project underway.
Major investment is required, and current approved funding levels do not meet this requirement.
It is expected that decisions around additional treatment & disposal capacity will be discussed, once the Martinborough Growth Study (underway) is completed.
Items of significance:
Current plant design is insufficient to avoid non-compliance. Effluent discharge rate and quality to both land and river continues to exceed current consent limits.
Irrigation for the season has commenced.
A new pond inlet flowmeter has been installed and is working well.
A Community liaison group meeting was held in Nov 23, but due to limited attendance the meeting was postponed until Feb 24
There has been 1-2 weeks of a significant surface sludge blanket on main pond. This has been likely caused by seasonal temperature changes.