Key Takeaways:
- The treatment of residents in Surrey St, South Dunedin, who are affected by sewage overflows, is deemed "unacceptable" and warrants an apology from the council.
- A meeting was held between concerned residents and city councillors to discuss the issue, resulting in promises of near-immediate action.
- Short- and medium-term improvements have been developed to reduce the frequency of overflows, with work expected to begin over the Christmas holiday period.
- Residents are demanding more urgent action to address the issue, with some councillors proposing increasing diluted wastewater discharge into the Kaikorai Stream during flooding.
- The council has allocated funding to address the issues in the short- and long-term, but residents are calling for more immediate solutions.
Introduction to the Issue
The residents of Surrey St in South Dunedin are facing a dire situation due to sewage overflows that have been plaguing the area. The overflows, which occur when wastewater systems are overloaded during heavy rain, have resulted in sewage, toilet paper, and sanitary products spilling into the street. The situation has been deemed "unacceptable" by Cr Andrew Simms, who organized a meeting with concerned residents and other city councillors to discuss the issue. The meeting, which lasted 90 minutes, ended with promises of near-immediate action to address the problem.
Council Response and Criticism
Cr Simms was critical of the council’s response to the overflows, stating that it was a "disgrace" and that residents deserved an apology. He emphasized that the situation had not been adequately addressed in the past and that residents lived with the risk of sewage being deposited into their backyards or homes every day. While some councillors, including Infrastructure portfolio lead Cr Jules Radich, acknowledged the issue and promised to take action, residents expressed "utter frustration" at the lack of firm action. Cr Simms noted that the new council was keen to be seen as taking action at a faster pace than in the past.
Proposed Solutions and Funding
Cr Radich announced that a series of short- and medium-term improvements had been developed to reduce the frequency of overflows, with work on some of these improvements expected to begin over the Christmas holiday period. However, residents are demanding more urgent action, with some councillors proposing increasing diluted wastewater discharge into the Kaikorai Stream during flooding. The council has allocated funding to address the issues in the short- and long-term, with a permanent solution tied to the Green Island wastewater treatment plant upgrade, which is funded late in the council’s nine-year plan. Cr Simms is expected to put a proposal to the council’s January meeting to address overflows "almost immediately".
Resident Reactions and Demands
The Surrey Street Flood Action Group convener, Lynne Newell, expressed happiness at seeing support from new and some existing councillors. She emphasized that the situation was "morally bad" and that residents would not wait for engineers or CEOs to decide when to act. Instead, they want the council to take immediate action to address the issue. Cr John Chambers also expressed his support for bringing forward flood alleviation work, particularly sewage overflows, which put people’s lives in danger. The current council is seen as an opportunity to give the problem the priority it deserves.
Mayor’s Response and Next Steps
Mayor Sophie Barker acknowledged that the Surrey St wastewater overflows were a top-of-mind issue for the council and that she had advocated for them to be fixed. She noted that the situation was complex and that staff had worked hard to find solutions. While she respected the insights and work of Cr Radich, she emphasized that funding had been allocated to address the issues in the short- and long-term. Cr Radich contacted the ODT to provide an update on the situation, stating that the existing overflow into Kaikorai Stream was being examined with a view to optimization. The next steps will involve the council considering Cr Simms’ proposal to address overflows almost immediately, with residents eagerly awaiting a resolution to the issue.
