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Knowledge Hub / The Network / Wastewater / Wastewater treatment plants / Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant

Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant

At the Moa Point Treatment Plant, sewage travels through a series of screens, tanks, bioreactors, clarifiers and ultraviolet treatments before being discharged as liquid into Cook Strait.

It was granted new consents on 11 May 2009. These consents will continue for 25 years (expire 11 May 2034).

In general, the consents allow WCC:

  • to continuously discharge up to 260,000 cubic meters per day of treated and disinfected wastewater into the coastal marine area via an existing submarine outfall,
  • to discharge up to 4500 litres per second of mixed disinfected, treated and milli-screened wastewater to the coastal marine area during and/or immediately after heavy rainfall, when the quantity of wastewater arriving at the Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant exceeds 3000 litres per second,
  • to occupy the foreshore and seabed of the coastal marine area with an existing submarine outfall pipeline,
  • to continuously discharge contaminants (including odour) to air from the Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant ventilation system.

Resource consents

Resource consent reports

Plant performance


Current Status: Non-compliant 
Period: February 2025

 

Commentary​

Daily effluent results continue to meet quality requirements however the suspended solids (90-day geomean) has stabilised on the limit as it fluctuates in and out of compliance. Faecal coliforms became compliant for the 90-day geomean but remains non-compliant for 90th percentile limit. Trends project this parameter to move into full compliance in March.

Discharges

No discharges in February.

Odour

There were 12 odour complaints in February relating to the Southern Landfill site and Careys Gully Sludge Dewatering plant.

Items of significance: 

Clarifier #1 Renewal Project 

Physical works to replace the main bearing and renew structural elements on the final clarifier continue. With two of the three clarifiers in operation, pumping capacity is reduced. Work is being carried out over the summer/autumn months when effluent flows are expected to be lower. The project is expected to be completed by mid-2025.

Inlet Pump Station (IPS) Project

Physical works for the third and final phase of the IPS project are progressing well and on target for completion by March 2025. This stage involves replacing the remaining four of 10 riser pipes, along with four of the 10 submersible pumps, strengthening the IPS’s resilience for high rainfall events. Works on the first wet well was completed in December and the project team is progressing with the remaining wet well.

Public meeting resources