Projects update – 24 December 2015

ANZAC HALL PROJECT – FEATHERSTON

The ANZAC Hall project upgrade is close to completion, thanks to a group of hard working people who have applied their expertise to this project.

The roof, guttering and downpipes have been completely replaced by AAA Roofing.  The building has been repainted internally and externally by Paul’s Decorators Ltd. Inside, the main hall, Kiwi Hall and Supper Room have all been repainted, and the wooden floors in the Anzac Hall and Supper Room have been sanded and re-varnished. The floor coverings in the main toilets have also been replaced.

A number of windows were replaced, and repairs made to the exterior weatherboards and joinery. The exterior building repair work was carried out by Johnson Bros. of Featherston; they have been involved with the ANZAC Hall for three generations.  We are confident that we have now found and fixed all of the leaks from the clerestory windows.

The building is generally in remarkably good condition and is still sitting straight and level on its original pre-cast concrete piles. The only place where there has been any distortion of the building’s shape has been the clerestory over the main hall – it looks as though Featherston’s winds have had tried to lift it off the building on more than one occasion. This certainly explains why the window openers were removed long ago!

Next Steps

The ANZAC Society Club will be making digital copies of all of the photographs and pictures and these will be re-hung in the two halls.

The remaining work to be completed is on the storm water system, basement ventilation, exterior paving and asphalting. This will be carried out in the New Year and will complete the bulk of the planned work.

A further project is anticipated in 2016 for proposed exterior landscaping work; replacing the existing ramp to the main entrance and the stairs to the supper room entrance. A further funding application will be made for this.

WESTERN LAKE ROAD CYCLE TRACK

South Wairarapa District Council awarded the construction contract to Pope and Gray Contractors, Greytown for Stage 1 of the 8.60kms lime cycle track on Western Lake Road near Featherston.  The track will link the Rimutaka cycle trail to Featherston and beyond.  Located on the East side of the road will ensure cyclists will not be blown onto the road by high winds along the route.

Works started on 25 November 2015 with the removal of the grass berm in preparation for the placement of the lime surface.  Stage 1 is now complete.

Next Steps

Stage 2 will begin in the next financial year, including the installation of a bridge and culvert extensions across a number of streams and creeks.

FEATHERSTON TOWN SQUARE

In May 2014 the South Wairarapa District Council sent 1200 forms to urban and rural residents asking for their feedback regarding the use of the recently acquired land on Main Street in Featherston. Of the 159 respondents, 74 were in support of developing at least part of this area into a town square and provided ideas for the placement of the MENZ shed.

After reviewing all responses, Council created a Working Group made up of councillors and community board members to develop the design of the town square.

A landscape designer was retained to discuss design concepts with the Working Group and drawings were developed following these discussions, these concept drawings can be seen on swdc.testserver.co.nz

Featherston Town Square contractors Perkinson Civil Ltd broke ground early December. They will be installing the two storm water soak pits required for the Town Square development. At the same time, Council went out to tender for the main contractor for the next stage of the project. Tenders closed on 17 December, and Council expects to have a contract signed before Christmas 2015.

The new town square will be a lovely space for Featherston residents and visitors to enjoy.

Next Steps

Stage 2 will start in the New Year, and is expected to take 12 weeks from start to finish.

MARTINBOROUGH WAIHINGA CENTRE

Following consultation, South Wairarapa District Council listened to ratepayers and decided against the option of a targeted rate to complete the financing for the Waihinga Centre. Council will continue to work with the Martinborough Community Centre Steering Group, SGL Consulting and the community to review the capital funding programme and the building plans, to find a new way forward.

The Martinborough Community Centre Steering Group continues to do an excellent job of raising funds. In November 2015 nearly $100,000 in new or increased pledges was received. The Steering Group have also received offers to organise new fundraising events.

Next Steps

On 17 December South Wairarapa District Council held a workshop and reviewed funding sources, identified savings and design aspects with SGL Consulting, the Martinborough Community Centre Steering Group and Quantity Surveyors, Rawlinsons for the Waihinga Centre.  As a result of this workshop, the group recommended to Council that stage one of the Waihinga Centre project proceed.

SWDC Mayor, Adrienne Staples says that the Council has been able to reduce the costs of the project by $300,000.

This updated information and recommendation that stage one of the project proceed will be considered at the next normal Council meeting in late February.  Subject to the resolution being passed, Council can move ahead with stage one of this project in 2016.

WASTE WATER

Waste water includes sewage from toilets, hand basins, water from washing machines, sinks, the shower and bath and trade wastes.

Waste water from Greytown, Martinborough and Featherston is currently treated in oxidation pond systems which were built in the early 1970s. Treated effluent from these is discharged into our rivers and streams.

The current systems cannot effectively remove nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus.  This can cause algae to grow contributing to algage blooms and could potentially release ‘bad bugs’, possibly toxic for humans and fish.

The discharge of treated effluent to our rivers and streams is of concern to our community. To ensure that our waste water system is sustainable now and into the future, we need to look at new solutions which address these concerns.

Goal for waste water

Council’s goal for our waste water is to collect, treat and discharge wastewater from the urban areas of Featherston, Greytown and Martinborough and the coastal settlement of Lake Ferry, to provide public health protection with minimal effects on the environment.

This is a major strategy with short, medium and long-term components which build on each other towards a long-term goal.

We need to investigate and develop effluent treatment and discharge options to a reasonable degree of certainty before committing resources. Resource consents will be phased to reflect the time needed to achieve this.

How do we propose to make the schemes sustainable?

  • Retain the existing oxidation ponds but with improved treatment technology, including UV (short term plan).
  • Reduce the plant inflow volumes by repairing the worst condition sewer mains and drainage on private property.
  • An irrigation system to discharge treated effluent onto land (medium-long term plan).
  • Construction of additional effluent storage ponds on Council owned land (long term plan).

What’s happened so far?

Since 2008, Council has been consulting about future wastewater management with representatives of Ngati Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, Rangitane o Wairarapa, Wairarapa Public Health, Department of Conservation, Fish and Game, Greater Wellington Regional Council and community boards.

Committees from Featherston and Greytown have met several times to discuss and progress scheme upgrades, consider options for the future, and recommend the preferred type of upgrade and timeframes for action. These committees have now been combined and include Martinborough representatives.

Timing and costs

It is expected that the proposed waste water upgrade will take more than 30 years to complete. The total cost is estimated at around $29M. Council will spread the cost over many years so the upgrade is affordable to the limited number of waste water ratepayers funding the three schemes.

Only those ratepayers who are connected to or have access to a community waste water scheme will pay for the upgrade.

Consent hearings have been heard for the Martinborough and Greytown applications.The Featherston application is due to be lodged early in 2016. Each application is for the maximum 35 years, and will result in 100% wastewater discharged to land (except in exceptional circumstances). SWDC will be one of a very few local authorities that can lay claim to this very high standard. SWDC has purchased land in Featherston and Greytown adjacent to the treatment plants, and has land available in Martinborough. By securing this land early in the process, the risk of cost escalation is significantly reduced and now is limited to the irrigation infrastructure and implementation costs.

We anticipate a decision on Martinborough and Greytown late January 2016.

WATER SUPPLY – FEATHERSTON AND GREYTOWN WATER SUPPLY IMPROVEMENT

Since the water treatment plant was built in 2000 to service both Greytown and Featherston, there have been a number of challenges which Council have had to manage:

  • The inability of the plant to process suitable drinking water if the Waiohine River remained in flood for an extended period of time because the water being too dirty to process
  • Non compliance with the current Drinking water Standards. The plant is designed to filter and disinfect the raw water from the river but it cannot achieve protozoa compliance (guardia and cryptosporidium) for potable drinking water

In 2011 Council applied for a Ministry of Health Government subsidy to help fund exploration work for a new bore water supply for the Featherston Community. The new supply, if available, was considered to offer additional back up if one plant becomes unusable for any reason and provide security to the current Waiohine River supply as well as being easier and cheaper to treat to meet the Drinking Water Standards. In addition it is expected that Greytown will be serviced by the upgraded supply as well.

A suitable bore water source was found near the water treatment plant and a further application was lodged with the Ministry of Health in 2013 for funding assistance for a full upgrade of the water supply facilities. The total estimated project cost is currently $1.4M and the Ministry of Health subsidy for this stage is $660K, the difference to be covered from Council rates.

Since then, three water production bores have been established and proven, the improvement project was developed in two stages.  Stage1 (bore-field head works and a transmission pipeline) started in August 2015.

 Next Steps

Stage 1 of the improvement works is 60% completed.  Contractors are working hard to make the new bore-field available by Christmas 2015 should it be needed to supplement the supply in an emergency situation until the whole project is completed.

The balance of the work, Stage Two (including the new ultra violet treatment to achieve protozoa compliance) is expected to be complete and commissioned by June 2017.

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