Drainage Board wants meeting on C.F.M. waste plans

Press, 17 March 1982, Page 6

Drainage Board wants meeting on C.F.M. waste plans

Christchurch Drainage Board members want a three-way meeting over plans by the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company, Ltd. for an effluent treatment plant, and subsequent outfall into the Waimakariri River. The board agreed last evening that a meeting between it, the company, and the North Canterbury Catchment Board was necessary so that details of the proposal could be discussed. The meeting should be in committee at this stage, said the drainage Board's chairman, Mr C. H. Russell. A board member, Mr J. G. Freeman, said there must be no reduction in the standard of effluent going into the river.

“We must hold the line on this one. If we do. we will get the type of scheme which we will find fully satisfactory," he said.

Another member. Mr J. F. Davison, said that building of the plant by the company should ocincide with building of the board's pipe system. When the effluent was of an acceptable standard, it could then go into the main stream. The Drainage Board had earlier agreed, after receiving a letter from the company, that no material would be disposed of through the board’s pipeline unless the quality specification on effluent was met. Locked out Locked doors greeted a board member, Mr R. A. Bamford, and a member of the public when they arrived at the board offices at 7.31 p.m., a minute after the ‘ meeting started. Mr Bamford told members he had tried telephoning the offices but got no reply. He then got in touch with a staff member at home to let them in. The men finally arrived at the meeting about 8.10 p.m. After explaining the situation. Mr Bamford was given permission to speak on any items he had missed. Sewerage smells Covering of filters at the board's Bromley sewerage treatement plant seemed the

obvious answer to smell problems, said Mr Freeman. “It seems to me a logical step to cover these filters. Surely this would remove nine-tenths if not more of the whole problem,” he said. Mr Davidson said that whatever the board did, it would not be cheap. It would be a lot more expensive than if the problem had been tackled earlier. The board's chief engineer/ Mr H. P. Hunt, said he would not suggest just covering the filters. Experiments on the filters had shown that the main source of smell was from liquid, passing over them. Physical processes associated with the flow on to and • through the plastic filters released an odorous compound from the liquid. In his report, Mr Hunt said the next step was to find out if these compounds were present in sewage arriving at the plant, and if it was only in certain areas. A limited source could possibly be dealt with. If the compounds were in almost all the system, the options for action were more reduced. Eeling rights Board members “turned down in the meantime” an application from Mr P. Ruka for eeling rights on oxidation ponds at Bromley. They will discuss the application with him. A board member, Mr R. Stewart, successfully asked for the words “in the meantime” to be included in the resolution. The least the board could do was give the man a hearing and let him have his say, he said. Another member, Mr R. H. Arbuckle, said the board had rejected a walkway for the area. He was worried that by approving the eeling application, the board was being selective. Another member. Mr H. W. Thompson, said there had been vandalism in the area which had caused trouble and expense. He wondered if approval of the eeling application would be “opening the gate” for further requests. Mrs M. K. Alderice said one man eeling was different

from a walkway being used by hundreds of people. ■ Mr Ruka, . through his solicitor, asked for a threemonth trial. Eeling would be limited to Mr Ruka and one other person, between 8 a.m. and 4.30 p.m‘. Monday to Friday. Mr Hunt said eels in the oxidation ponds were thought to be minimal. Ponds were sprayed periodically to control midge. It was important that this programme be continued. . Office painting The board’s offices will soon take on a new look as staff start painting them. Members agreed that ground ' floor columns should be painted in “light and bright colours” to make them more visible when vehicles were being parked. Members were told the work would be done by three tradesmen painters of the board’s staff who had finished an extensive programme of pumping station painting, and could now take on more work. Mr M. R. Carter said the building should have been painted two to three years ago. It badlv needed painting. Vehicles Board staff will prepare a report on the standardisation of its vehicles. Mr Arbuckle said that having one type of vehicle over all would mean a reduction in the cost of fleet maintenance. Mr Freeman agreed this was a “logical and sensible idea.” Member ill A member of the Christchurch Drainage Board, Mr R. Stewart, was taken to hospital last evening after becoming ill during a board meeting. Other board members helped Mr Stewart from the meeting and he was taken by ambulance to Christchurch Hospital. He was treated and later discharged.