The consent process for the new outfall

The Auckland Regional council has a watchdog role in overseeing environmental issues across the Auckland region.

Major projects like North Shore City’s proposed effluent outfall will have a beneficial effect on the region’s environment for many years to come. But during the construction phase, the construction will have an impact on those close to the work.

North Shore City has a duty to lessen this impact, and the ARC plays its part in overseeing the consents process, the construction and the operation of the outfall.

You have an opportunity to make a submission. It needs to be sent in by November 18, 2005.

North Shore City already has permission from the ARC to build the tunnel, with a completion date of 2010.

The consents granted in 2001 confirmed the current route and allowed for a deep tunnel for the entire on-shore section. This construction method was initially chosen to allow gravity flow and avoid the need to pump the effluent, and to avoid serious disruption to the community during construction.

We currently have an application with the Auckland Regional Council for a variation in the consents for the outfall, to give us the option of bringing the tunnel closer to the surface on the eastern section and to use different construction methods, in order to minimise the risk of settlement.

We have also asked for a relaxation in the settlement parameters for the tunnel section, and to allow provision in the consent to tunnel up to the foreshore from the treatment plant using machines capable of tunnelling without causing excessive settlement.

Our engineers can fully explain the technical reasons for this.

Anyone can make a written submission about our application to the Auckland Regional Council. The submission must be dated, signed and include the following information:

1. Your name, postal address, telephone no. and fax no. (if applicable);
2. Details of the application in respect of which you are making the submission, including location;
3. Whether you support or oppose the application;
4. The reasons for your submission, including any conditions you may wish the Council to include if a decision is made to grant the application;
5. Whether you wish to be heard in support of your submission.

Submissions can be posted, faxed or delivered to the ARC office, and must be received before November 18th, 2005. They should be sent to:

Auckland Regional Council
21 Pitt Street,
Private Bag 92 012,
Auckland
Fax 09 366 2155

A copy of your submission must also be sent to the North Shore City Council to:

Lalith Fernando
North Shore City Council
Water Services
Private Bag 93500
Takapuna
North Shore City
Fax 09 486 8500

The application and accompanying information can be viewed at the office of the Auckland Regional Council Monday to Friday between the hours of 8.30 am and 4.30 pm.

For further information on the application, and making a submission visit the website www.arc.govt.nz or phone 366 2000 or 0800 80 60 40 if calling from outside the Auckland area.

See also:

New outfall for Rosedale wastewater treatment plant
Possible construction methods for the new outfall
The offshore section
Local impacts of the new outfall
Our treatment plant and the new outfall
Project Rosedale: resource consents and consultation