Complaints relating to the Blue Bay Opoutama vehicle waste station has resulted in the dump station being temporarily disconnected.

At the end of last year, the Wairoa District Council installed the vehicle waste station next to the public toilet block at Blue Bay, Opoutama.

Connection of the dump station involved a new single connection to the existing wastewater scheme.

Council had informed the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and Wairoa District Council Māori Standing Committee of the connection and understood the connection was business as usual and had not applied for a consent variation.

Wairoa District Council chief executive Steven May said the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has now received complaints about the connection and has advised, that while they are happy with the work Council has done, they would like the connection to be added as a variation to the existing consent.

As a result, Wairoa District Council is in the process of legitimising this variation and has disconnected the dump station until it is able to be legitimised.

The temporary disconnection will include the removal of signage and taps.

The self-contained vehicle waste station was installed last year in preparation for the busy Mahia tourism season.

The station, along with an upgrade of Mahia waste management facilities, was part of funding received through the Tourism Infrastructure Fund, which saw the Wairoa District Council receive more than $200,000 for improvements.

Wairoa District Council chief executive Steven May said because the dump station was funded by the Tourism Infrastructure Fund it was installed at no cost to ratepayers. The funding also included maintenance and operating expenses for two-years.

“In fact, the dump station has reduced ratepayer costs, as before it was installed people would empty their portable toilets into the existing toilet block at Blue Bay which often caused the toilets to become blocked.

“The frequent blocking and smell had been an issue, and now because of a designated dumping station there are less blockages meaning less money spent to remedy an unnecessary problem.

“Mahia’s waste and recycling needs have increased over the past few years, and we need to ensure that Council is responding to this increased demand.

“Mahia’s population swelled to almost triple over the last summer period and this brings increased pressure on local infrastructure.

“The dump station allows campers in camper vans and caravans to responsibly dispose of their waste and we look forward to completing the necessary variation process and reconnecting the dump station.”

7 July 2020

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