Waikato District Council news
Watercare and Waikato District Council have made a necessary decision this afternoon to conduct a controlled discharge of fully treated wastewater from the Raglan Wastewater Treatment Plant into the harbour during the incoming tide this evening (low tide is 5.10pm).
This is not the standard approach for releasing wastewater but has been allowed in our consent with Waikato Regional Council due to the amount of rainfall over the past 48 hours, and stormwater infiltration (runoff) into our wastewater ponds.
The approach to release fully treated wastewater in a controlled approach will minimise the risk of an overflow of untreated wastewater from the ponds into the receiving environment.
Although contamination risk is low, a precautionary recommendation of no swimming or shellfish collecting in the Raglan Harbour will be in place for 48 hours from 4pm today.
A social media post is going out this afternoon (around 2.35pm). Would be great if you could share it.
Signage will also be placed around primary entrances to the Raglan Harbour.