Leak in the Katikati outfall pipe: Update Friday 30 June
Update Friday 30 June
We've put a temporary fix in place today.
We'll be working on a more permanent fix next week and hope to install it during the week beginning 10 July (weather dependent).
As a precaution we continue to advise people not to swim, or collect or eat any shellfish from the area.
Update Tuesday 27 June
The leak in the pipe has been located, using a drone to spot fluorescent dye from the air.
We are now arranging a dive team to dig down to the pipe at the leak site and assess the problem.
Weather and tide depending, the dive team will go out on Thursday 29 June. Once divers have assessed the problem, our team can get to work on the repair.
The leak is located 317m along the wastewater outfall pipe.
It’s important to remember that this is treated wastewater, which been through an ultraviolet light treatment process already. As a precaution we continue to advise people not to swim, or collect or eat any shellfish from the area.
Council has notified Iwi, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Toi Te Ora Public Health of the leak and has installed signs along the waters edge.
Monday 26 June
A leak of treated wastewater has been confirmed in the Katikati outfall sewer pipe.
Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s Katikati Wastewater Treatment Plant discharges its wastewater through a pipe from the Prospect Drive treatment plant across Tauranga Harbour to off Matakana Island.
Council has notified Iwi, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Toi Te Ora Public Health, and is working with our contractors to find the leak. It’s important to emphasise that this is treated wastewater, having been through an ultraviolet light treatment process already.
“To search for the leak we need a low tide in daylight hours without wind. The first opportunity will be on Tuesday morning (27 June), and the team is geared up and ready to go,” says Council’s Utilities Operations Manager, EJ Wentzel.
We will be adding dye to the effluent before putting drones up to see if we can spot the leak in the harbour.
Warning signs are being put up at the water’s edge to let our Western Bay whānau know not to consume any shellfish or swim in the water until the leak has been resolved.
Further updates will be provided when they are available.