Visit to NZ an eye opener for fact finding team

The infrastructure fact finding team led to New Zealand recently by Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning (MOIP) Minister Hon Teariki Heather completed a successful mission.
The team which comprised Heather, MOIP CEO Otheniel Tangianau, Aitutaki mayor John Baxter, Aitutaki Councilor Bobby Bishop representing the Environment Service and MOIP Sanitation expert Tai Nooapii visited several smaller towns of comparable population size to Rarotonga to ascertain how effectively they dealt with their waste, recyclables, sanitation and water supply and what technologies they applied.
They visited smaller centres including Opotiki, Wairoa, Rotorua and Gisborne. The team visited and viewed recycling plants, landfill, sewerage collection and treatment plants and water treatment plants.
According to Tangianau what impressed the team was the seriousness and commitment these towns made at the top level to ensuring protection of their environment. The towns had the best systems they could afford and the systems were effective and affordable.
While the team looked at a variety of treatment systems for sewerage and waste water, one option used in Rotorua especially impressed the team.
This was the Low Pressure Grinder Pump Unit (LPGP)-see photo.
It is an underground, closed system and is a relatively low cost unit –about $4,000, one per household which does not require a large septic tank although an existing tank can be used if it meets the standards required related to water tightness, configuration and structure (see diagram).
Human waste is ground up inside the large unit and the waste water pumped away.
Introducing such a system into Rarotonga would almost certainly require a user pay strategy, it is a good example of how technology has advanced.
Protection of the water table and lagoon is becoming critical meaning future options will need to incorporate some form of treatment of sewerage and disposal of solids once the liquid content has been extracted. How the ongoing costs of sustaining any system and maintaining it is for public debate and consensus.
MOIP certainly have a number of options to ponder over.

By Charles Pitt

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