Waiu Street enforcement decision
Greater Wellington’s Environmental Regulation Department will issue a formal warning to the Council’s Flood Protection Department following an investigation into the discharge of contaminated material from the Waiwhetu Stream Remediation Project to the Waiu Street cleanfill in Wainuiomata last year.
The investigation found that Greater Wellington’s Flood Protection Department did not adequately identify and quantify contaminated material in the lower reaches of Waiwhetu Stream, leading to this material being sent to the Waiu Street cleanfill site. The lead content in the material was at levels significantly higher than the natural background levels of lead.
Environmental Regulation Manager Alistair Cross said the investigation determined that a breach of the Resource Management Act had occurred. However, action taken by the Flood Protection Department to remediate the site weighed heavily in the enforcement decision.
“The investigation concluded that the discharge was not deliberate, contaminated material was removed from the site and independent testing in February this year has confirmed that the site has been remediated.
“Greater Wellington believes that because the site has been validated as a remediated site there are unlikely to be any short or long term environmental or human health effects.”
About the Waiwhetu Stream Flood Protection and Remediation Project
The Waiwhetu Stream Project is a joint venture between Greater Wellington Regional Council, Hutt City Council and the Ministry for the Environment. The project involved the removal of contaminated sediment from the stream, widening of a section of the stream to improve flood protection and ecological enhancement of the lower Waiwhetu environment. The stream clean up and flood protection works are now complete. Native trees and shrubs will be progressively planted along the banks and a wetland for fish habitat will be created to increase the biodiversity of the area and encourage the development of a healthy ecosystem.