The Manu Bay Sewer Control box is to be moved by Waikato District Council. A number of Raglandic folk are concerned about the Manu Bay Sewage Pumping Station that Waikato District Council recently installed at Manu Bay scenic viewing point. The pumping station, control box, radio mast and antennae are part of the Whaanga Coast Waste Water Scheme being installed by contractor Spartan Construction for the Waikato Council.
Sited at the scenic viewpoint, visitors get a closeup view of control box and radio mast and antennae. It blocks and detracts from the magnificent view.
We asked Waikato District Council about the Manu Bay Sewer box as recent comments on Facebook indicated that the Council would be moving the box.
Waikato District Council General Manager Service Delivery Tim Harty responded to a set of questions that we asked the Council:
Q. Is it correct that Council will be moving the pump? A. Yes, as we’re aware this has prompted discussion in the community.
Q. Where will it be moved to? A. An alternative location which differs to the original has been selected – near the pump station but below the lookout and viewing line.
Q.What will be the cost of moving it? A. The cost of moving the unit will be shared between Council and the contractor.
Q. Why was it installed in a visitor parking area blocking the view? A. While standard practice is to install the control cabinet immediately next to the pump station, our original design placed it to the side of the lookout out of the viewing line. Unfortunately at installation, the control cabinet was placed in the standard position.
So good that this eyesore is to moved soon.
Will this pump station spill like the others do? Good you got such direct and informative answers to your questions Rodger, I am pleased you asked them!
The Whaanga Coast 100% pumped system is completely different to the Raglan combo gravity and pumped system. With the Whaanga Coast system each property has a storage tank with a grinder pump in the tank. The manufacturers say, ‘they have few non start up service calls’. I believe these grinder prumps are the weakest link in the system. Some local authorties say, ‘Do not put glass, rags, cloth, disposable wipes, seafood shells, egg shells, feminine products, nappies, cat litter, flammable material, gasoline, strong chemicals, metal, plastic, condoms, cooking oils, grease, paint and sand down toilet or drains.’ Good advice for any householder! I guess the reason they give this advice is that all of these cause pump problems. I haven’t seen WDC give any similar advice yet.
If the power goes off or the grinder pump fails or blocks then each property’s wastewater could spill on its own property. While this would have a low probability, it could happen and probably will occasionally, but it will be on land not into the tide. Hopefully the Council engineers checked how other similar systems in New Zealand and other countries perform. This type of system is used widely and should be pretty reliable. Like anything mechanical the main pumping stations along Wainui Rd could also fail. These main pumps are monitiored and managed with radio links so at least WDC will know when they fail and get there to fix them.
Good to get answers, but it still doesn’t say how the mistake happened, or more importantly what they’re doing to stop them happening in future. As WDC and Spartan are sharing the cost it suggests both ignored the original plans.