“You’re making progress, but need to do more” roughly sums up the Northern Regional Council’s opinion of the Whangarei District Council’s sewage treatment, harbour pollution, and sewerage infrastructure plans.

Asking the Northern Regional Council to refuse to allow the Whangarei District Council to discharge higher volumes of treated wastewater from its Kioreroa Rd plant could appear ridiculous at first glance.
It’s not.

One third of my, and your, rates bill is targeted on sewerage. Back in 2006 the annual sewerage charge was just $275 - now it’s $485
That’s a 76% increase and the number of sewage overflows has been increasing as well. Reduce the volume and reduce the bill.

In this job it is sometimes the simple things that really make you despair.

I believe the option for a new harbour crossing from Pohe Island to Port Rd is the right one. At the end of the day, it comes down to cost, and practicalities. 

Should Council continue with this project on the scale originally proposed, or opt for a staged project to process waste as, and when, required?