2 May Jim Bradley, MWH NZ

Transcription

1 2 May 2013 Jim Bradley, MWH NZ

2 Statutory drivers Importance of understanding Maori / tangata whenua cultural, spiritual background Collaborative approaches Education and involvement Developing holistic and integrated approaches Technological solutions addressing cultural concerns On-going involvement throughout the life of the consent and project

3 Main purpose is to: To promote the sustainable management of natural and physical resources where sustainable management means: managing the use, development and protection of natural and physical resources in a way, or at a rate, which enables people and communities to provide for their social, economic and cultural wellbeing and for their health and safety RMA is Effects Driven, Enabling Legislation 3

4 Main purpose was to: to promote the social, economic, environmental, and cultural wellbeing of communities, in the present and for the future That is the four well-beings Sustainable Development purpose But Government recently announced change December 2012 from four wellbeings and replaced by efficient and effective quality infrastructure provided at lowest cost (abridged) 4

5 Resource Management Act requirements Retain a guardianship role over natural resources Take into account principles of Treaty of Waitangi (1840) Provision for traditional relationship with ancestral lands, waters, sacred places, other taonga (treasures) Abhorrence of direct discharge of human waste to natural water affecting the mauri of the water Abhorrence of bringing human waste to another rohe Objection to transporting sludge past waahi tapu ancestral lands and sites Affecting the mauri of the air, e.g. odour 5

6 Requirements of the RMA and LGA that address cultural well-being and the linkages to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Water is a taonga treasure Holistic approach to physical and spiritual values Combining western measurable science with Maori lore / science Development of an index comparing approach with - Cultural Monitoring Protocols - Cultural Health Index 6

7 Acknowledge cultural protocols establish good communications Promote a team approach with clearly identified roles Communicate in layman terms with maximum visual information On site discussions a must Value of hikoi look, see, understand, visits Use appropriate venues e.g. marae Proactive approach with provision for accommodation or adaptation of fresh ideas and perspectives Preference for face to face contact Consultation viewed as a continuation of a personal relationship between parties built up over time Come familiarity with Maori protocols essential 7

8 INPUTS Energy Chemicals Labour Cost $ WASTEWATER Papatuanuku passage Untreated Wastewater OUTPUTS Sludge Trucks, etc (sludge) TREATMENT PLANT Other residuals (screening) Odour/air emissions (greenhouse gases) Treated wastewater disposal/ discharge and beneficial reuse Integrated and Holistic Approaches Ruakaka Wastewater Project Papatuanuku (land passage) in some schemes only 8

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10 Many terms are used and often there is confusion general terms used are land discharge and land application but these need definition for individual options and investigations Land discharge and the term land application and land contact can mean many things from land disposal to land contact Land disposal is generally used where the treated wastewater is irrigated or soaked into the land without any run-off direct to water Land contact is generally used where the treated wastewater contacts some land before being discharged to surface or marine waters Land application needs defining, but generally applying to land Land Treatment correctly used when the land and its vegetation are providing a treatment function Land based is another confusing term that can often mean all kinds of things 10

11 Maraetai Kawakawa Bay Many matters to consider, e.g. Soil and vegetation types Typography Ground and surface water protection Land use Effect on soil structure Neighbours and future development Buffer zones Potential spray drift (aerosols) Dairy and other industry restrictions Generally high or very high capital and / or operating costs Others Taupo Centre-Pivot Low Pressure Nozzle Spray and Wheel Tracking But some good news schemes and some not so good questions of long term sustainability! 11

12 Site is a difficult one geologically Close working relationship between tangata whenua and Council Decided to decommission wetlands and rapid infiltration beds Upgraded treatment, plus UV disinfection and direct river discharge Wetlands (Foreground) Rapid Infiltration Beds 12

13 Variable case history three larger schemes are Rotorua, Levin and Taupo 50 or so smaller community schemes Case histories highlighting a number of issues long term sustainability? Formerly the NZCPS 1994 and Regional Plans of that time required land application unless land disposal and / or wetlands better met the purpose of the RMA New NZCPS 2010 requires consideration of alternatives and informed understanding of tangata whenua values and effects on them Few new 365 day / year land disposal systems in recent years Some new mix and match schemes to land in dry summer and to waterways in wetter / winter periods, e.g. Masterton, Waihou But the matter of terminology and definitions quite confused 13

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17 Final stage in a scheme where treated human wastewater contacts land Papatuanuku (earth mother) before being discharged to water Many different arrangements that have been developed by local iwi and hapu in conjunction with the wastewater authority next slide Spiritual cleansing is the term used by some iwi and hapu, others prefer simply contact with Papatuanuku or land contact or land passage or natural monitoring, and reintroduction to nature (ecosystem re-entry) Some recent examples higher standard of treatment for the receiving environment is the key driver no such land contact options Most options do not improve the measurable quality of the treated wastewater natural deterioration, e.g. in ponds and some wetlands through algae and other plant growth, bird droppings etc. 17

18 Some Example Projects there are many others Cultural / wildlife wetlands - Tauranga, Whangarei, Cambridge Wetland pond Palmerston North Engineered Wetlands Far North, Taumaranui, St Arnaud, Colllingwood Floating wetlands Hunterville, Shannon, Kerepehi Oxidation Ponds / Wetlands after (full) in tank treatment - Christchurch, North Shore Rock (land) Papatuanuku passage Hastings, Te Awamutu, Taumaranui, Dunedin Tahuna Main plant Riparian strip discharge Te Puke Rock Bed discharges Te Awamutu, Te Aroha (both Gabian Baskets) Rock River Bank structure Palmerston North Overland flow Oamaru Gravel beds Ngaruawahia, Huntly, Otorohanga Rapid Infiltration Beds Motueka, Takaka, Cambridge So let s look at some example projects 18

19 Engineered Wetland Far North, Ruakaka, St Arnaud, Taumaranui and others Floating Wetland Approximately 6 in NZ at present Engineered Wetland considered as possible part of Option 2 for Kingsgate / Land water discharge by an engineered wetland and Coastal outfall to the Whatapaka Creek Note: What goes into a Wetland comes out as a discharge plus or minus rainfall 19 / evapotranspiration and seepage. Note: These types of wetlands usually improve treated wastewater quality

20 Oxidation ponds and wetlands Aerial view In-tank Activated sludge WWTP An interesting dilemma!! In-tank Activated Continuous Flow Sludge WWTP Clear highly treated wastewater becomes algae green and bug count increases birds etc Wetlands (observing green algae laden effluent) Clarifier and clear final effluent 20

21 Topics Covered Resource Management Act Principles Cultural Perspective Process and Outcomes Where to Now? The six downstream marae worked as a group to develop the wetland pond and rock passage concept that Council adopted Winner of the NZ Post Consultation Award

22 Schematic Arrangement Wetland pond Land passage into and out of Wetland pond Bankside rock discharge into Manawatu River Wetland pond showing land (gravel/rock) passage into the pond Bankside rock diffuser discharge into Manawatu River Council s starting point was to adopt a land disposal scheme Extensive investigations concluded that suitable land was limited and that with climatic considerations a scheme would not be sustainable long term Council worked closely with six down river marae in developing an upgraded treatment scheme with natural monitoring (wetland pond) and land contact before discharge to the River 22

23 Sludge De-watering Clarifier to separate Solids / Sludge Continuous Flow Activated Sludge Plant includes nitrogen (TN) removal Rock passage (Gabian Baskets) through which treated wastewater passes prior to discharge to Mangapiko River 23

24 Oxidation Pond being upgraded Rock Filter (on discharge line to Waikato River) to be replaced with rock lined channel Wetlands to be decommissioned Waikato River discharge diffuser pipe approximately 12m wide located in the centre of the Waikato River. Diffuser being retained. Dye testing Waikato River discharge diffuser to determine River mixing characteristics 24

25 Council undertook extensive investigations working with tangata whenua, Federated Farmers and other stakeholders to make land disposal work. It did not stack up on a number of counts including costs A Terra 21 Wetland Pond was decided on, but ultimately this also did not stack up a Best for River approach was adopted and consented Higher Treatment Standards adopted Hamilton (Pukete) Treatment Plant Full Waikato River width diffuser 25

26 Process Schematic Domestic Sewage Fine Screen Biological Trickling Filter To Ocean Outfall Rock passage for spiritual cleansing 26

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29 Papa tū ā nukū Channel Biological Trickling Filter (Pilot) Plant (accounts for natural processes of Papa tū ā nukū, Tane Mahuta, Tangaroa and Tāwhiri matea Papa tū ā nukū Chamber (as required in Resource Consent) Selected rocks placed in concrete chamber. Aerial view of new WWTP showing the two (large) Biological Trickling Filters (BTF s) 29

30 TANE MAHUTA The deity of the flora and fauna PAPATUANUKU The earth element in the creation; female element TANGAROA The male deity of the oceans TAMANUI TE RA The deity of the heavens, personification of the sun TAWHIRIMATEA The deity of the winds 30

31 The 7 case histories highlight a number of approaches used in resource consents where off-set mitigation conditions are used to assist Maori / tangata whenua with their concerns. These include: Formation of tangata whenua and iwi Wastewater Liaison Groups Formed under various names and with a range of Terms of Reference Hastings of a special nature as Joint Committee set up under the Committee provisions of the LG Act Establishment of research activities E.g. the Turanganui A Kiwa Water Quality Enhancement Project Gisborne The Fisheries Enhancement Research and Grants Palmerston North The Environmental Mitigation and Enhancement Fund Tauranga

32 Environmental enhancement by way of off-set mitigation Palmerston North consent riparian stream enhancement Ruakaka memorial pou / kohatu/ plaques Involvement of tangata whenua, iwi and hapu groups in wastewater monitoring Preparation of protocols and related to the construction and on-going operation of the wastewater scheme Dunedin consent development of a protocol with Te runanga O Otakou Ruakaka consent for the development of protocol documents including tikanga protocols, archaeological site identification and cultural training for contractors

33 Process Matters Detailed Actions Activity Type Ongoing Monitoring of Key Items Periodic Review of Key Strategy/Scheme Components Determination of WDC Key Actions / On-going Consultation WDC LTP Process Changes to existing to seeking new consents Res. Growth. Bus. Growth. Wastewater flows and loads. Treated wastewater quality. WWTP performance. Environmental monitoring. Social issues. Cultural issues. Other. WWTP size / inputs. Land application performance. Treated wastewater quality. Beneficial re-use / land application options/demands. Environmental standards. Other. Dialogue with key stakeholders on the review. WDC decide on key matters to be taken forward from the review. Decide what to take forward to LTP (AP) and other processes. Other. Take WDC proposed actions into LTP process (includes consultation process). Implement relevant policies, procedures and works. Other. WDC seek any changes to current Resource Consent conditions. WDC seek any new consents required. Stakeholder consultation over consent matters. Work through any NRC consent review outputs. Other. Set up monitoring and reporting procedures. Takes key Strategy/ Scheme matters and advances them. Sets future WDC actions coming out of Review. Secures funding. Ensures future actions are undertaken as per Resource Consent conditions.

34 Extensive assessment of wide range of options (alternatives) Addressing more sustainable methods of wastewater management Often high levels of treatment with UV disinfection The special nature of Hastings in terms of significant removal of kuparu High level of participation between tangata whenua and Councils Importance of participation with iwi and hapu through a journey of knowledge sharing and project development process Appreciating the spiritual and cultural aspirations Resource consent conditions including on-going liaison and involvement Off-set mitigation measures through consent conditions In some cases monetary allowance for future investigations etc 34

35 We have statutory drivers and local agreements and relationships Importance of appreciating Maori cultural and spiritual dimension Importance of holistic and integrated approaches The journey we have been on has developed a better understanding of the Maori cultural considerations relating to treatment and disposal / discharge and reuse of human waste Early involvement with Maori / tangata whenua - partnership approach Importance of a resource consent process and conditions including mitigation / offset mitigation many examples available of conditions relating to tangata whenua ongoing involvement Some notable examples of how Maori cultural and spiritual considerations have been implemented into human wastewater treatment and disposal schemes 35

36 Jim Bradley and MWH greatly acknowledge the Local Authorities and iwi and hapu groups whose projects have featured in this presentation 36 along with Buddy Mikare of Buddy Mikare and Associates

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