Stream project bursts the banks

BY NICHOLAS BOYACK

The increasingly controversial Waiwhetu Stream project faces an uncertain future after a cost blow-out.

Funding allocated for the project runs out this week and, although it seems certain work will proceed, it's unclear who will pay future costs and what the final scope of the project will be.

The project has two strands: removing the highly toxic sludge from lower stream reaches, and flood protection. It was originally costed at $14 million but that is likely to soar to more than $21m.

Removing the toxic sludge has proved much more difficult than consultants URS suggested.

The project is jointly funded by the Hutt City Council, the Ministry for the Environment (MFE) and Greater Wellington Regional Council.

The bulk of the extra funding will have to come from the city council.

Its representatives on a joint committee overseeing the project made it clear last week they were not happy with URS, and the extra costs facing city ratepayers.

Councillor Ross Jamieson said URS had done a "bum job" and he could not see why Hutt City ratepayers should foot the bill. He called for regional council officers to explore what legal action could be taken against URS.

The issue has caused division between the two councils and it was clear GWRC politicians and staff were keen to take a conciliatory approach.

GWRC officers put a number of potential funding options to the committee, with the bulk of the extra funding of $7m coming from Hutt City Council.

City councillor Roger Styles said the committee was not in a position to agree to any of the options because more information was needed and an answer given on URS's liability.

The bulk of the extra cost relates to the fill that now has to go the Silverstream Landfill. As Hutt City Council owns the landfill it gets the money back in revenue, but the city is still facing a bill for $1.7 million.

Mayor David Ogden said GWRC had initially told him the extra amount would be $1.1m, but two days before the meeting, it increased to $1.7m.

Mr Ogden said he had told the Hutt News that he was happy to pay the extra $1.1m as the project is important and must be finished.

GWRC officers had then discovered they had made a mistake and the real figure was $1.7m.

He was angry to get such short notice of the increase and felt he could no longer guarantee Hutt City Council support.

GWRC officers indicated the funding for the project will run out this week and to continue with it, a decision had to be made.

GWRC chairwoman Fran Wilde said her council also needed answers on funding so it could be included in the annual plan.

But she was not in favour of forcing the city council  to pay the extra $1.7m when its politicians were clearly uncomfortable with the information they had received.

The committee agreed to reconvene on Monday to make a decision on the funding.

The committee also heard bad news on a range of technical issues.

Not only is there a lot more contaminated material in the stream than initially thought, but there has also been recontamination of an area that has been cleaned.

URS scientist Jonathan Coakley said he had no idea how that happened, but the Waiwhetu Stream is tidal.

The committee was also told it is possible some of the contamination is coming from the Naenae industrial area and the stream is much more polluted north of the Bell Road Bridge than had been imagined.

If that is the case, it is possible the areas cleansed of contaminants will in time be recontaminated.

After the meeting, Mr Coakley said he could not comment on the liability issues, but URS will continue to work with GWRC to get the best possible result for the project.

The GWRC last week included an extra $800,000 in its annual plan.

URS declined comment.

- Hutt News