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Wastewater

Wastewater is the biggest waste by volume in New Zealand. Approximately 1.5 billion litres of domestic wastewater is discharged into the environment daily.

Sewage treatment practices have changed significantly in recent years. Changes include the reuse of sewage sludge and effluent on land, and the emergence of new technologies for the treatment of sewage.

The New Zealand Waste Strategy includes a target requiring all substandard wastewater treatment plants to be upgraded, closed or replaced by December 2020. The Ministry for the Environment partners the New Zealand Water and Wastes Association to develop initiatives which improve the country's environmental performance in the area of wastewater.

A number of joint initiatives exist to manage wastewater, including:

Implementation of the Liquid and Hazardous Waste Code of Practice. The Code is designed to protect human health and the environment, and relates to liquid waste and hazardous waste that is transported. You can purchase a copy of the Code of Practice at the New Zealand Water and Wastes Association's bookshop
Encouragement for liquid waste contractors to undergo audits to become Code Compliant under the Liquid and Hazardous Waste Code of Practice. To date 40 contractors are currently certified as Code Compliant. For an up to date list go to Code Compliant contractors
Redrafting and publication of NZS 9201:Part 23 - Model Trade Waste Bylaw. All local authorities were sent a copy of the Model Bylaw. Work has since found that 91% of local authorities have a trade waste bylaw, or are preparing one. Copies of the Model Trade Waste Bylaw are available from Standards New Zealand.
Development of an web-based wastewater database (called WINFO). WINFO provides accurate information about New Zealand’s municipal wastewater treatment plants. The WINFO homepage has a list of frequently asked questions.
Development, trial and implementation of a waste tracking system (WasteTRACK). WasteTRACK is very versatile and is able to be used to track any waste. The Ministry is working with liquid waste contractors, local authorities and waste generators to implement the system for tracking liquid and hazardous wastes.
Guidelines for the Safe Application of Biosolids to Land. Hardcopies of the guidelines are available by contacting the New Zealand Water and Wastes Association or you can download an electronic copy.
Redrafting of the Oxidation Pond Guidelines, undertaken with the industry’s assistance. The guidelines are in draft form, and provide an update of the Ministry of Works Guidelines for Oxidation Ponds 1974, and draw from recent research and modern practices. Following the release of this draft the Ministry is working with NZWWA, IPENZ and the industry to finalise the guidelines. An update on the work to finalise the Guidelines was given at the New Zealand Water and Wastes Association Annual Conference in October 2006. It is anticipated that the Guidelines will be finalized and release by the end of 2006.

The guidelines are written for use by pond operators and designers, planners, regulators and other interested persons.

The guidelines are available from the New Zealand Water and Wastes Association's bookshop or you can download an electronic copy of the Oxidation pond guidelines.

For more information about any of the above initiatives, please contact Jeff Page or Tracey Morgan at the Ministry for the Environment.

Other relevant initiatives and publications developed by the Ministry for the Environment include:

Sustainable Wastewater Management: A handbook for smaller communities - a guide to assist communities faced with the need to upgrade wastewater systems.

The Wastewater Monitoring Guidelines - a guide to assist regional and district councils in developing monitoring programmes that reflect the true environmental risk posed by individual wastewater treatment systems.