Māori call for urgent action to restore mana of Waiwhetū Stream
Māori are losing patience over continuing discharges to Lower Hutt’s Waiwhetū Stream.
The latest discharge resulted from a burst wastewater pipe in Eastbourne, which caused treated and untreated wastewater to flow into the harbour.
Wellington Water had to shut down the main outfall pipe, resulting in treated effluent being discharged into the Waiwhetū Stream.
Wellington Water is warning people not to swim or fish in the area.
Yesterday, Te Ātiawa Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika issued a rāhui covering a large section of the eastern harbour.
Taranaki Whānui chief executive Kara Puketapu-Dentice said the issue of overflows into the stream, which runs past the Waiwhetū marae and the tribal urupā, had been around for years and it had reached a point where a solution must be found.
“Taranaki Whānui are deeply concerned and disappointed with the reoccurring damage caused by wastewater overflow in Oruamatoro (Days Bay) Eastbourne, which has yet again seen the Waiwhetū Stream polluted while repairs are under way.”
Stopping the overflows would require a new outflow pipe from the Seaview Wastewater Treatment Plant to Pencarrow, to replace the pipe which runs under the road to Eastbourne.
He understood a solution would be neither cheap nor straightforward but Puketapu-Dentice said Wellington Water using the stream as an overflow almost every time there is heavy rain was no longer acceptable.
“Enough is enough, this continued harm to our environment and community health needs to stop and the most recent incident underscores the need for urgency.”
Te Ātiawa rangatira Kura Moeahu supported the call for action.
“We are collectively committed to driving the urgent action needed to address this issue.”
Another elder, Liz Mellish, is also calling on Wellington Water to do more.
“As kaitiaki (guardians) of these waters we collectively feel the weight of responsibility to drive a concerted effort to restore the mouri and mana of our awa and harbour following these repeated events.”
Te Ātiawa also wanted a scientific evaluation of the impact of the on-going discharges on the health of the stream and harbour, she said.
In June, The Post reported that a solution could cost up to $1 billion and take decades but noted calls were growing for Wellington Water to stop using the stream as an outlet for treated effluent from the nearby treatment plant.
Discharges make it unsafe to swim, fish or collect shellfish in the lower reaches of the stream and Te Awa Kairangi/Hutt River, as well as parts of Wellington Harbour.
Waiwhetū-based Māori have long opposed the discharges into the stream, which was once a major source of kai, including eels and watercress.
Yesterday, Wellington Water said it was increasing the sampling it was doing and putting up extra signs to make sure people stay out of the water and do not fish or take shellfish.
Group manager of network management Jeremy McKibbin said Wellington Water shared the concerns raised by Puketapu-Dentice.
Getting on top of the repair at Days Bay was a priority to minimise the impact on the environment and community.
The region faces significant challenges with ageing infrastructure and replacing the outfall pipe is an expensive and complex problem.