Central government funding has been sought for Cardrona’s new wastewater system but the project to significantly improve wastewater infrastructure in the Cardrona Valley will proceed regardless.

Queenstown Lakes District Council’s (QLDC) chief engineer Ulrich Glasner said the project, which combines QLDC and private investment, is essential for residents and businesses of the Cardrona Valley.

The current wastewater systems “are not up to standard” and the Otago Regional Council’s resource consent to operate the systems expires in June next year, he said.

“What is proposed is by far the best option,” Ulrich said. “The new infrastructure will be more environmentally friendly and reduce the risk of drinking water contamination as well as provide greater capacity for future growth in the valley.” 

Last year, the QLDC signed an agreement with the investors of Mt Cardrona Station to participate in the design and build of a wastewater treatment plant and associated infrastructure, and the green light for the project to proceed was given at the last council meeting on April 23. 

For many years, Mt Cardrona Station has had land rezoned for mixed use. Three years ago it announced a substantial residential development and golf course over 131 hectares and a wastewater treatment plant was required to service the development. 

The wastewater scheme will be constructed by Cardrona Valley Wastewater Limited, which is owned by Mt Cardrona Station Ltd, and eventually will be vested in QLDC, the director of Cardrona Valley Wastewater Andrew Spencer said.  

The proposed waste treatment plant and associated dispersal fields will be located on 12ha of consented land adjacent to the Cardrona Valley Road to the east (Wanaka side) of the Cardrona Distillery. Mt Cardrona Station was granted a permanent easement over this land more than 15 years ago for the purpose of establishing a waste treatment plant, Andrew said.

Construction of the plant is planned to be completed by June 2021 and commissioned and tested through the winter of 2021; if all goes according to plan, Cardrona residents can expect to be connected to the new system from September/October 2021, Ulrich said.

Cardrona Alpine Resort has also agreed to contribute funding towards the project and become a trade waste discharge partner.

The QLDC will complete a separate project to build a pipeline and pump station to connect the existing Cardrona village to the new wastewater scheme. Currently, the village is served by two wastewater systems (one is a private body-corp operation) and many residents have their own septic tanks.

The cost to connect to the new infrastructure will be a development contribution of more than $15,000 per residential dwelling and future builds will automatically be connected. 

Ulrich acknowledged this is a substantial sum, particularly for those residents who have already invested in new, good quality wastewater systems of their own.

“We will be talking to residents at each individual property about how we can best address their connection and costs,” he said. 

Cardrona’s wastewater system was one of five projects put forward by the QLDC to receive funding from central government’s Crown Infrastructure Partners (CIP) fund. Ulrich said he expected the announcement of which “shovel-ready” projects had received CIP funding by mid May.

Local MP Jacqui Dean said the Cardrona wastewater project was a solid proposal which “deserves to see investment” from central government funding.

PHOTO: Supplied