Update on Project Shotover consent

Anyone interested in receiving an update on the Queenstown Lakes District Council’s Project Shotover is invited to attend a public information session, next week, QLDC acting water services manager John Porter said.

An application for the discharge consent for a new disposal to land facility at the Shotover Delta (2011) had now been lodged with the Otago Regional Council.

“We are anticipating that it will be notified next month,” Mr Porter said.

The new scheme would see an end to the current practise of disposing treated wastewater into the Shotover River and was along very similar lines to Wanaka’s Project Pure scheme. The council called for public comment on Project Shotover in January, prior to lodging the consent application.

The information session was an opportunity for residents to revisit and understand the process to date and to ask any questions about the consent, he said.

The council adopted the land disposal on the Shotover Delta option in December, 2007, after consultation and detailed consideration of differing options.

“Following that decision a full and detailed investigation was carried out on using the Shotover Delta as the disposal location, which culminated in the application to the ORC,” Mr Porter said.

The ‘drop-in’ session was an opportunity for those that had engaged in consultation leading up to the application to be updated, as well as any other member of the public who would like more information

“Through the consultation and the consequent assessment work the council was able to confidently adopt the delta land disposal option. The session is an opportunity to make all of that material available and accessible prior to notification,” Mr Porter said.

The ‘drop-in’ information session would be held at the Queenstown Events Centre from 3-6pm on Thursday 29 May, 2008.

“It will be very informal and we welcome anyone to come along and find out more,” Mr Porter said.

Funding of the project would be the subject of further consultation through the 2009 Council Community Plan.