Rotomā-East Rotoiti Sewerage Scheme
Response
Sent: Friday, 2 May 2025 1:27 pm
Subject: Official Information Request - Rotomā-East Rotoiti Sewerage Scheme
Kia ora,
I refer to your Official Information request of 29 April 2025 for information regarding Rotomā-East Rotoiti Sewerage Scheme.
Your request has been processed under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act.
Please find below responses to your various questions
Current Status of Scheme Completion
Questions
- Total no of units installed on private properties at 30 April 2025:
No new installations have occurred since the 31 January 2025 update, so the numbers remain as per previous information supplied.
- East Rotoiti 347
- Rotomā 213
- Total no of existing private properties within the area without units installed
- The status of existing private properties without units installed. Ie the reasons why these installations haven’t taken place and the number of properties effected by these reasons.
East Rotoiti:
No. Of Properties | Justifications |
Legal Handover = 15 | Properties have been designated as ‘Legal Handover.’ These properties have indicated their refusal to connect to the scheme. RLC in conjunction with BoPRC are currently proceeding with legal enforcement. |
OSET = 4 | Properties have requested to retain their current OSET systems. According to RLC consent conditions, these properties must be referred to the Haumingi 9B3B Trustees. Kepa Morgan will act on behalf of the Trust as its Technical Advisor. The request for approving existing individual OSET systems in Rotoiti involves the Haumingi 9B3B Trustees. The Technical Advisor will review all submitted information, conduct their own assessments, and present the findings to key stakeholders, including the Objector Group, Pikiao Koeke, Ngati Pikiao Environmental Society, and Helen Nathan (Morrison Kent). At the conclusion of this process, the Technical Advisor will present their findings and make a recommendation to the Trust. If agreed, these properties will pay for a connection fee equivalent to about 60% of the targeted rate set by Council. |
Māori Land Court = 30 | We anticipate that approximately 30 properties (multiple Māori ownership whenua) will continue to present ongoing legal process challenges, which will be gradually resolved as the Māori Court process allows. Complex Māori land ownership issues continue to pose legal challenges that need to be overcome. The project team is actively working through these issues. The outcome of the Māori Land Courts Judicial Conference held in September 2022 has provided valuable guidance to address some of the complex issues associated with Māori land. This includes a review of all land titles and identifying the different typologies for the licenses, as well as the preparation of various license documents. Additionally, there was unanticipated work required to identify an appropriate way to address roadways in relation to general land titles. The team is focused on finding the most efficient way to manage the large volume of information involved to maintain efficiency moving forward. |
Pending Installation = 16 | Locality plans have been signed. We are currently waiting for more properties to participate to ensure a sufficient quantity of installations, making the process more cost-effective in line with the arrangements made with Fulton Hogan. |
RLC to finalise = 9 | These properties present a range of issues that need to be addressed by RLC. These include difficulties in tracing the owners, properties that have been sold, and extensive dialogue required to convince some owners to join the scheme without resorting to legal enforcement. |
Marae = 6 | Marae's Design work is currently underway with Iwi to identify the system configuration required to accommodate Marae “super events.” We need to gather sufficient data on usage to better design the systems to be installed for the Marae. The team is progressing with the final design parameters of the on-Marae installations (units, pipes, etc.) in collaboration with the Cultural Impacts Team and their technical advisers. Once this is completed, we will move forward with the consenting matters. |
Rotomā:
No. Of Properties | Justifications |
Legal Handover = 3 | Properties have been designated as ‘Legal Handover.’ These properties have indicated their refusal to connect to the scheme. RLC in conjunction with BoPRC are currently proceeding with legal enforcement. |
The status of installations at the Maraes, public amenities, businesses etc.
Property Class | Status |
Marae: | One, 1550 SH 30, Waiiti Marae |
Public amenities: | All public amenities have been connected |
Businesses: | All businesses have been connected |
Question
We also seek an update on the status and findings of the Independent Review of the Rotomā/East Rotoiti Sewerage Scheme project. We note that the assessment was expected to be completed by the end of March for the Strategy Group and that once the Strategy Group has received the final report and accepted it, this will become public information.
Answer
Officers of the Ministry for the Environment advised that they have received the independent quantity surveyor’s report in early April 2025. Their intention is to brief the Minister as soon as practically possible and then forward the report to the partners of the Strategy Group in advance of the next Strategy Group meeting. As schedules stand at present the next Strategy Group meeting will be in June 2025. The report will need to be received by the Strategy Group so members can have the opportunity to discuss.
Question
Could you please also provide more information on the make up and logic for the make up of the “Strategy Group”.
Answer
The Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Strategy Group comprises the Te Arawa Lakes Trust, the BOPRC and the RLC. These partners are mandated by the Lakes Water Quality Improvement programme “Deed” with the Crown since 2005 and have the overall responsibility for administering the Deed Programmes funded partially by the Crown.
