Featherston Wastewater Treatment Plant (new consent application)

A total of 29 submissions were received during the public submission period from 2-31 October 2024, some these are seeking to make oral submissions.

We are in the process of reviewing these submissions. We do know that some submitters have raised concerns about potential effects on groundwater from the new consent. As a result, the project team is undertaking a groundwater modelling assessment. Once this has been completed in the New Year we will share this with submitters.

Early in the New Year we will also get in touch with some submitters to discuss the concerns and issues they have raised.

There will be a hearing to allow submitters to speak to their submissions. The timing of the hearing is yet to be confirmed but is likely to be in the second quarter of 2025.

Public submissions are open from 2-31 October 2024. You can view the Resource Consent Application and make your submission at:

www.haveyoursay.gw.govt.nz/featherston-wwtp

If you want to find out more,  have questions or just want to chat to the project team, come along to one of public events:

• Thursday 17 October, public drop-in event - 3.30pm to 6.30pm ANZAC Hall, 62-64 Bell Street, Featherston
• Sunday 20 October, public drop-in event 2pm-4pm Featherston Community Centre, 14 Wakefield Street, Featherston
• Tuesday 22 October webinar from 6pm -7pm. To register email fwtp@wellingtonwater.co.nz and we will send you a link.

On behalf of South Wairarapa District Council, we submitted an application for a new resource consent for the Featherston wastewater treatment plant with Greater Wellington Regional Council in May 2023.

We have since completed our responses to GWRC's requests for further information (S.92 RMA). This has included running a successful pilot trial of a new clarification system using Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) at the treatment plant during in summer 2024. We submitted results to GWRC in May 2024.

We are now expecting GWRC to publicly notify the consent application early October, allowing people to have their say on the proposal by making a submission.

We will provide updates once timing is confirmed, along with information on how people can have their say and public events where people can find out more and ask questions about the proposal.

On 1 May 2023, Wellington Water lodged the new resource consent application for the Featherston Wastewater Treatment Plant with Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC), on behalf of the South Wairarapa District Council.

On 11 July 2023, GWRC issued a further information request under section 92 (s92) of the Resource Management Act. A s92 request for information is a normal part of the resource consenting process. Since July, Wellington Water has responded to the majority of s92 questions. Following discussions and engagement with GWRC, further work will be undertaken this summer to inform the responses to remaining questions within s92. This additional work includes further water quality monitoring to take place this summer, with final data analysis and modelling to be presented to GWRC by May 2024.

While we complete water quality monitoring, we’ll also trial a pilot Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) unit. This water clarification technology is proposed as part of the upgrades to the Featherston Wastewater Treatment Plant. A DAF assists with the removal of suspended solids and other
chemicals in the wastewater, improving the level of treatment the wastewater receives prior to being discharged to the environment.

Waipawa Wastewater Treatment Plant DAF Plant

The trial will provide valuable data regarding the effectiveness of this treatment technology for the Featherston Wastewater Treatment Plant conditions. This data will allow us to further refine the technical assessment and assumptions made around wastewater quality. It will also improve understanding of the potential environmental effects of the wastewater discharge on Donald’s Creek when a new clarification plant is installed.

Once this work is complete and the full response to the s92 is submitted to GWRC, the application will be publicly notified by GWRC. At this time, the community will have the opportunity to have their say through a submission process. Here is a link to more information about the resource
consent process: Featherston Wastewater Treatment Plant Consenting Process

We thank the community and our mana whenua iwi partners who have provided significant and critical input into the consent application so far. The installation of treatment technologies and natural-based solutions, such as constructed wetlands and land treatment along with upgrades to the Wastewater Treatment Plant, are aimed at addressing operational issues which once implemented will benefit the South Wairarapa community through improved environmental outcomes.

On 1 May 2023, we lodged the new resource consent for the Featherston Wastewater Treatment Plant with Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC), on behalf of the South Wairarapa District Council.

As agreed with GWRC, the 1 May 2023 lodgment date was an extension on the original January 2023, which has allowed time for further summer monitoring, testing of groundwater and further collaboration with iwi on the wetland concept that is proposed as part of the consent.

We are now working with GWRC to discuss any questions and provide clarifications. In due course the consent will be publicly notified by them, and the community will have the opportunity to have their say. 

Thanks are due to the community and to mana whenua for their significant and critical input into development of the proposed consent. It has been a long time coming and lodgment of the consent, marks the beginning of positive changes.

Addressing the wastewater treatment plant issues will benefit the wider South Wairarapa community, by improving environmental outcomes, enabling regional growth, and testing of  technology and natural-based solutions that could be installed at other locations in the future.

Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) has agreed for the new resource consent application for the Featherston wastewater treatment plant to be lodged in May.

The consent was due to be lodged in January 2023. 

However, following consultation with the regional council, it will be lodged at the end of March to allow for further summer monitoring and testing of groundwater and further co-design of the wetland that is proposed as part of the consent.

Community Update

Community Update

Featherston Wastewater Treatment plant consent monthly report

Community information panels

Featherston Wastewater Treatment Plant - Actual and predicted population growth 

Wellington Water is jointly owned by a number of councils, including South Wairarapa District Council (SWDC) since October 2019. Wellington Water’s role includes managing wastewater services, aiming to deliver through the
shared service approaches, cost savings, resilience and expertise benefits to councils and their communities. The project aims to consider and identify the preferred option to improve the management of Featherston’s wastewater disposal. We want to achieve this goal through thorough consultation and collaboration with the community and stakeholders

Featherston Wastewater Treatment Plant consent monthly report

Featherston Wastewater Network - Community open day

Community open day - the ideas.