EcoCare scheme a success

COLLABRATION: Northern Regional Council chairman Mark Farnsworth cuts the ribbon to open the Mangawhai EcoCare wastewater project, with Kaipara mayor Neil Tiller.

More than 300 people attended the opening of the Mangawhai wastewater scheme called EcoCare.

The event held on Saturday, January 16, hosted by the Kaipara District Council saw guests including leading representatives from the Northland Regional Council, Whangarei District Council and members of the Mangawhai community present.

Mayor Neil Tiller says he is delighted with the successful delivery of the project.

"The council together with contractors Water Infrastructure Group has delivered to the Mangawhai community a system that provides an effective solution to the wastewater problem at Mangawhai.

The EcoCare project has been in development in one form or another for the past 15 years and represents a proactive and positive approach by the community and council toward curtailing the incremental degradation of Mangawhai's estuary and waterways that was obvious in the early 1990s."

A council spokeswoman says the scheme has received support from the regional council and was demonstrated when chairman Mark Farnsworth cut the ribbon with Mr Tiller.

Mr Farnsworth, a Mangawhai resident, says his council is supportive of the scheme and it was a development that was "excellent for the community".

The district council says the project was undertaken on a public-private contractual model that provides for Water Infrastructure to design, build and operate the scheme for up to 15 years.

The model ensures the contractor has a vested interest in the scheme.

This approach, together with the private sector funding model adopted by the council has proved to be successful.

EcoCare's project manager Peter Elliott says a crucial issue was the development of a contract which created a public-private model that provided for the delivery of a viable and sustainable asset.

He says a critical issue for the community was the final disposal option adopted for the project.

"The community was committed to an effective and sustainable land-based disposal option."

The result has been that the wastewater will now be reclaimed and reused for sustainable farming which will meet United States quality standards, a first in New Zealand.

- © Fairfax NZ News