Recently there was a wastewater spill into the Waikareao Estuary from the Chapel Street wastewater treatment plant.

I asked staff to show me how this unfortunate event happened during an inspection last week. Here's the overview as explained with some gory details deleted for obvious reasons. Wastewater comes into the plant and is met by filter screens with takes out foreign objects – false teeth, evening dresses, bras, to name but a small selection of the more unusual items you may not expect. These filter screens are 6mm wide so anything thinner than that can slide through. The wastewater gets to two 'digesters” which work like your stomach at human body temperature. But over time all this less than 6mm foreign matter, mainly turned into rags by now, compacts at the bottom of the large tank that is the digester and clogs up the bacterial action breaking down the effluent. The digester has a pressure relief valve much like a pressure cooker and when the pressure gets too much it releases just like a geyser. That's what happened. A lot of the effluent was contained on site with only a small amount making it to the drain bordering the plant and thence leaked to the estuary.

Full digester
The Chapel Street plant staff take pride in what they do and it is very well run and operated. Thanks to city growth it's the right place in the wrong place but it's there now so we have to make the best of it. When the other digester was cleaned out recently there was 3-4 metres of highly compacted rags in the bottom of it. No wonder it wouldn't work. It costs around $150,000 to clean out and dispose of. Cleaning involved getting men inside it through a manhole and craning out the accumulated rubbish. Digesters should be cleaned out every seven years but due to 'budgetary constraints” hadn't been done for 10 years.

Past councils priorities
I resist the temptation to use expletives but while this was not being done elected members majority voted amongst other things Baywave ($19m) Art Gallery ($2m) ratepayers contribution, and proposed a $21m museum plus total operating costs of estimated $4m a year for those alone. Stormwater inadequate, roading way behind, wastewater (Southern Pipeline) turning from the 'Welcome Bay diversion” at around $7 million a few years ago to $106 million today. As I've said for years past councils priorities were up the shooter and now when we are in the worst possible financial situation the chickens start coming home to roost.

Overflow maintenence
Back to Chapel Street – this overflow could have been worse and bunds have been built to contain the next event – which there will be, much to the consternation of staff. Don't blame them. Blame the councils of yesteryear who by majority vote allocated money for nice to haves 'for a balance – you have to nourish minds as well” – yeah right – at the expense of core maintenance and business like Chapel Street.

Ratepayers help fund
At Monitoring Committee we heard from some of Council's service provides ratepayers help fund. Export BOP who now administer our Sister City affairs had Andy Cameron of Oasis Engineering tell elected members how on a visit to Yentai, our Chinese Sister City, he had picked up contracts for a highly specialised valve for the gas industry. From five years ago when Oasis had virtually no export work this now provided 80% of their output. Things would be grim today if it weren't for this work he said. I noted that it took Andy's initiative to go to China, spot the opportunity and act on it.

Faith of food parcels
Foodbank Tauranga is the largest single provider in NZ. 7,000 to 7,500 food parcels a year to the needy is a great effort. We were told some of the usual stories of bludgers attempting to work the system but one nice story involved a Maori lady who received six parcels over six months a few years ago. Some time later when her need had passed she gave $500 to assist someone else in her predicament. Great story that renews your faith in human nature.

Shortfalls in rent
Creative Tauranga we were told is now getting 55% of their funding outside of Local Government. I asked CEO Tracey Ruddick what her organisation could do to assist Council/ratepayers in the current financial dilemma. She didn't volunteer any reduction in the Council grant but said she hoped to not have to ask for an increase in the future. Creative Tauranga's rent in their new premises is $65,000 up from around $16,000 in their old premises and are expecting a shortfall of $14,000 in their budgeting to make up that difference.

Your help in downpour
Weekend rainfall showed the great variances at various recording stations around town. Airport was 178mm. A couple of miles down the road 325.9mm was registered at the tug berth. Bell Road was 231mm and Welcome Bay 81mm. A big difference producing dilemmas for those trying to cope with stormwater, gutters, drains and grates. 17,000 grates in town to block and keep clear. Maybe residents can help in downpours and clear obvious small blockages themselves. Stormwater intrusion into the wastewater system more than doubled the amount of water arriving at Wastewater Treatment Plants to 54,000 square metres. Council is conducting investigations into this citywide problem and is serious about eliminating illegal connections and fixing leakages.

Beach banned dogs
More costs as Council had to get new software for the new park and display machines. It seems the Reserve Bank has let coinage that is out of specification into circulation. In response to my question CEO Stephen Town said he would be seeking reimbursement for Council's costs. An interesting fact that elected members didn't know. The 'beach” at the Mount extends to the centre of the road. Signage has recently appeared on the boardwalk saying 'No dogs”. David Stewart asked why without knowing the answer – Dogs are banned from the beach! Oh dear! I don't think elected members anticipated that one. A real Council gotcha.