Water right granted

Press, 10 November 1983, Page 7

Water right granted

PA Whangarei The $1.6 billion expanded Marsden Point oil refinery was yesterday granted a water right to discharge its waste into Whangarei Harbour. A special tribunal which earlier this year spent 13 days hearing evidence, including that of more than 20 objectors, has set levels for oil and other toxic substances in the effluent. The Northland Regional Waterboard Tribunal of five local body members said yesterday that the New Zealand Refining Company could discharge up to 4000 cubic metres a day of treated waste from its processing plant. The levels of oil, phenols (in carbolic acid), and zinc are lower than the company wanted but greater than those suggested by objectors.

A 15-year term has been placed on the water rights

— the company made strong representations for 30 years while objectors asked for 10 years at the most. The tribunal has called for comprehensive surveillance of harbour waters to gauge the effect of the discharge. The existing 20-year-old refinery is discharging effluent under a permit granted by the now defunct Pollution Advisory Council. That permit does not set discharge volumes and specifies only two toxic substances. A condition of the new right is that that permit be surrendered. However, the expanded refinery is not expected , to come on stream until March, 1986. Neither the applicant nor the main objectors would say yesterday whether they would appeal against the decision.