Update on odour from the oxidation ponds

Thursday 3 July 

Following a request from community at the last Neighbours of the Wastewater Treatment Plant meeting we’ve installed an additional odour monitor on Shortland Street near the intersection with Carters Road. The monitor is active and results can be found on our website.  

The oxidation ponds appear to have finished their transition into winter mode, and the frequency and strength of odour has dropped. We’re reviewing the monitoring results from the transition period and will develop a plan to try and reduce the impact next year.

Three additional aerators for ponds 2A and 2B have been delivered to site and will be installed over the next couple of months. These will be active from installation to support the pond to be in the best possible shape for next winter. The supplier has provided the indicative location of the new aerators (shown below), with final location dependent on site inspection. 

Pest control at Parks depot on Shortland Street 

We’re working with a pest control contractor and have established additional bait stations along the property boundaries of the Shortland Street Parks depot. These have been in place for a couple of months and the contractor hasn’t noticed a visible increase in the bait uptake since the additional stations were installed. We’re continuing to monitor these and will increase the number of stations if needed.

In 2024 the Council brought all park maintenance services in-house and the depot is being built to store the wide range of equipment used to carry out this work. 

Activated Sludge Plant update

The design for the plant is progressing smoothly and is in the final stage, with the team currently reviewing it in detail. We are seeking a partner to oversee the construction of the new plant, which has been put out to tender.

We anticipate the tender period will take about two months, followed by evaluation and negotiations. We are hoping to have the main contractor on board before the end of this year.

Detailed design for all elements of the plant is expected to be complete by the end of September

Next community board update 

Staff will provide their next Wastewater Treatment Plant operations update to Waitai Coastal-Burwood-Linwood Community Board at their meeting on Monday 11 August.

This meeting will be held at the Community Boardroom on the corner of Beresford and Union streets in New Brighton. These meetings are open to the public and if you are unable to attend in person the meeting will be livestreamed on the Community Board Youtube Page. 

Stay updated

We want everyone to be able to stay updated on what's happening at the Christchurch Wastewater Treatment Plant, and we regularly post new information on ccc.govt.nz/wastewaterfire 

You're welcome to send this update to your networks. If you know someone in the community who doesn’t have email or internet access, please print this newsletter off and pass it to them.

If you know of anyone who would like to receive this e-newsletter they can subscribe online. 

If you have any questions, or would like further information on the project, please call us on 03 941 8999 or 0800 800 169 or email wastewater@ccc.govt.nz  

Thanks for your patience and understanding. We’ll be in touch again soon.