Week 4a- Water: Case Study - Waikato River

1. Water

1.11. Case Study - Waikato River

Waikato Watercare is seeking resource consent for:

The taking of an additional 200,000 m3/day (net) of water from the Waikato River for municipal supply;
The discharge of process and off-spec water (i.e. treated water that does did not meet Drinking Water Standards for New Zealand) to the Waikato River in the vicinity of the Waikato WTP; and
The construction and operation of a new intake and discharge structure and pipes in the bed of the Waikato River.

Assessment of Environmental Effects (AEE)

A comprehensive assessment of the environmental effects of the proposed activities has been undertaken. This assessment of effects has in part used monitoring data obtained through the operation of the existing intake structure to identify potential effects associated with the new intake structure and the water take as a whole.

That monitoring data has shown the existing water take and discharge operation has a less than minor effect on the environment and, as outlined below, no reason has been identified why this situation would change if the operation is expanded to include the proposed additional take of water.