Wastewater Treatment Process

On 25 June, 2014, in accordance with Resource Management Act (RMA), Hastings District Council was granted a 35-year long-term Wastewater Discharge Consent for the disposal of treated wastewater into Hawke Bay via a long ocean outfall at East Clive. The consent expires on 31 May, 2049.

This was a significant achievement following a robust and detailed Resource Consent application, Assessment of Environmental Effects (AEE) report and consultation programme. The outcome was achieved thanks to the efforts of the Tangata Whenua Wastewater Joint Committee and a project team made up of staff from Council,  MWH (technical expertise) and Bannister Von Dadelszen (legal expertise).

Annual reporting

A requirement of the wastewater discharge consent is the preparation, peer review and submission of an Annual Compliance Report to the consenting body, Hawke's Bay Regional Council. The technical report contains information on the wastewater treatment performance against the consent conditions. The wastewater treatment process is operating well and the report concludes that "the current treatment and discharge through the long offshore ocean outfall provides for an environmentally acceptable, sustainable and economic solution for wastewater from the Hastings District Council."

View the 2019/2020 Annual Wastewater Compliance Report here