Tarawera sewerage scheme update

The sewerage scheme pipeline work site at Tarawera will be temporarily scaled back while Rotorua Lakes Council awaits a decision on its renewed application for an injunction to enable work to re-start.

This means the road at the site, which has been down to one lane and under traffic management, can fully re-open until the council knows when the work can re-start, within any conditions set by the injunction.

This will be done tomorrow [Friday 25 October], ahead of Labour Weekend.

Work at the site was paused at the end of August to address concerns from iwi and hapū regarding information about the scheme and the section of pipe running past Lake Rotokakahi.

Following direction by elected members to re-start the project, Rotorua Lakes Council recently renewed injunction proceedings to ensure safe on-site conditions when work resumes.

Discussions with iwi and hapū are ongoing and the Tarawera sewerage scheme remains vital to protect the health of the lake, community and natural environment.

While the urgency to complete the work remains and the court’s decision on the injunction application is expected soon, the decision has been made to scale back the work site in the meantime.

As well as providing some relief for local and visitor traffic, it will also save additional costs being incurred to maintain the site and traffic management during the pause in work.

There are about four weeks of work remaining to complete the pipeline.

See the following link on Council's website for more information and updates about the Tarawera Sewerage Scheme project: Tarawera Sewerage Scheme - Rotorua Lakes Council