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Christchurch City Scene
July 2003

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Feedback sought on water, beach quality


Before decisions are made on wastewater treatment and discharge regarding the proposed ocean outfall, the Council needs to know what residents expect in terms of water quality and beach standards if the city’s wastewater is piped out to sea.

In early June a workshop on wastewater outcomes was held as part of the ongoing consultation on the ocean outfall. Participants were invited from a crosssection of Christchurch interests, including fishing and recreational groups, the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce, Crown Public Health and Community Board representatives, as well as South Brighton residents.

Presentations were made by City Water and Waste’s John Moore and Mike Bourke, Cliff Tipler from URS on ocean hydrology, Graham McBride from NIWA on public health and Paul Kennedy from Kingett Mitchell on fish populations and habitat. Participants then broke into small groups to discuss their expectations of the discharge in the sea and on the beach, including health and recreational safety, sensory effects and wastewater management.

Expectations identified by the groups included:

  • Swimming and surfing without infection
  • Regular, independent monitoring from the treatment plant, through the pipe to the outfall and back to the beach
  • No added pollutants in the water or disruption to the food chain
  • No plume visible from the air
  • Safe shellfish gathering on the beach
  • No smell from the discharge

“Considering an ocean outfall, residents generally want good standards water quality and no discernible impacts from the discharge on people or the environment,” says John Moore, the project’s senior planning engineer. “They want certainty that Pegasus Bay will be protected.”

A document based on the issues discussed at the workshop is now being prepared for the wider public to have their input on water quality and beach standards.

  • The final decision on how the city’s wastewater is to be treated and discharged will be based on community consultation, oceanographic and ecologic studies, and cost considerations. Once councillors have reached that decision, this can be fed into the application for consent for the construction of the ocean outfall. www.ccc.govt.nz/OceanOutfall
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