St Lukes Environmental Protection Society

meolacreek May 13th, 2008

Auckland City Council
Media release
9 May 2008

A programme of works is to be developed to help mitigate the impacts of sewer overflows into Meola Creek. The City Development Committee heard that a long-term solution under consideration by Watercare, the installation of a new interceptor main, is not likely to be operational for about five to 10 years. In the meantime, the committee has asked the council, Metrowater and Watercare to move ahead with initiatives to minimise the problem.

Works would be aimed at:

• protecting the health and safety of the community as far as possible, with fencing, signage and public warnings
• raising the footpath along Meola Creek between the two overflow sites
• roofing over the Lyon Avenue overflow
• improved screens at overflows to reduce the quantity of clearly visual material
• diversion of some stormwater to ground soakage where practical
• improving the creek habitat.

A report to the committee noted that 80 per cent of the overflows came from Watercare sewers, with most from sewers at Lyon Avenue and Haverstock Road.

About 40 per cent of the Meola catchment is served by combined sewers. Currently, Metrowater is conducting sewer separation works in the Motions catchment and this will take nearly all Metrowater’s sewer separation budget for the next three years. Committee chairperson Councillor Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga said that all the agencies were acutely aware of the unpleasant side effects of sewage overflows. “The trunk system was installed about 100 years ago and our population has simply outgrown its capacity,” he said. “The issue is not just to accommodate the existing need but to future proof the system for new growth and that is a hugely expensive and time consuming process.”

For further information, please contact:
Councillor Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, chairperson, City Development Committee
ph 927 209 7562
Email: cr.lotu-iiga@aucklandcity.govt.nz

• Community Interests , Environmental Issues
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Nick March 20th, 2008

New Zealand has lost approximately 95% of its wetlands to agriculture and urban expansion. Unfortunately, it’s taken us a while to realize the importance of these systems in terms of the biological and economic services they provide, e.g., flood attentuation, water filtration and purification, etc. It sobering to think that nearly all of St. Lukes and Sandringham was once a large wetland – in fact, Sandringham used to be known as Cabbage Tree Swamp. STEPS would like to recreate some of the past in our own backyard. We’re proposing to construct a small wetland in an area that is periodically fed by clean spring water. Our plan is to remove the weeds and plant the area with wetland species such as flax, sedges and raupo. As well as dramatically enhancing the visual amenity of the Kerr-Taylor Reserve, a wetland would provide excellent habitat and food resources for watefowl and terrestrial birds such as tui and silvereye. The designated area already has an impressive stand of young kahikatea and cabbage tree, and seeing their submerged trunks gives us an idea of what an intact swamp forest should look like (see Photos). The project is very much in the formative stages. For a start, we need to gain permission from Mt Albert Grammar, since the proposed wetland is on school land. A feasibility study also needs to be carried out. If we get the green light, then we’ll need to get funding for things such as engineering works and plants. We envisage the project being a partnership between STEPS, Mt Albert Grammar and the local community. We’ll keep you posted on progress. If you have any thoughts, comments or opinions, feel free to post them on the blog.

• Environmental Issues
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