Masterton District Council [MDC] met with residents affected by wastewater overflows in Cockburn St on Wednesday night to discuss a way forward.
Presented at the meeting was an independent report into the situation by engineering company GHD that recommends making the Cockburn St area a pilot study for identifying the source of water entering the wastewater system and leading to overflow issues at times of heavy rainfall.
The Cockburn St area includes Taranaki St, Patea Pl, Okato Pl, and Kuripuni St.
MDC says it has accepted the recommendations from the GHD report and has established a dedicated project team, with work already underway.
MDC infrastructure and assets manager Maseina Koneferenisi said the installation of 21 non-return valves and 13 tanks on properties has been effective but is only the start of work,” Koneferenisi said.
“As identified in the report, this was intended as a short-term solution, and we have begun the recommended pilot study to identify the source of water entering the wastewater system.
“We will also be looking at what regulatory, planning, and engineering solutions may be appropriate as we consider the wider issue of how we manage stormwater and the state of our wastewater network district-wide.
Koneferenisi thanked residents for their cooperation in helping the council collect the data required to inform this work.
“We will continue to be in regular contact with property owners as investigation work continues.”
The GHD report is available on the MDC website.
