Urgent repairs to Gisborne's wastewater outfall pipe will close a section of Midway Beach for at least five days.
From October 2, the Gisborne District Council is set to make repairs to the structure following damage from Cyclone Gabrielle.
Both silt build-up around discharge ports plus excess pressure from high pumping rates resulted in a crack forming, meaning eight metres of the pipe needs to be replaced.
A section of the beach will close to the public while treated wastewater is discharged into shallow water.
The council advises people to stay away from the sea for five days after the discharge has stopped, putting a halt to swimming, surfing and gathering shellfish.
Council acting director community lifelines Dave Hadfield said capacity for the pipeline had been compromised, meaning overflow valves in the river were needing to be opened at lower than normal flows.
Reinstatement was critical, he said.
"The monitoring and compliance team has been informed of the issue, the implications of repair, and that the work is being done under Section 330 of the Resource Management Act — which is the emergency works provision, and in this case, applies to Cyclone Gabrielle," Hadfield said.
The council would undertake water quality testing in receiving waters before, during and after the discharge, Hadfield said.
The wastewater will pass through filter screens, a biological trickle filter, clarifier, tertiary filter and undergo ultraviolet disinfection.
But one concerned resident with a background in environmental advocacy believes the issue could have been avoided through routine maintenance.
Resident and environmental advocate John Kape has raised concerns about the work, saying it is outside of existing consent conditions and "questionable" as to whether it's emergency work.
He is also disappointed sewage is needing to be discharged on to one of the region’s most well-used beaches.
"It’s an old pipe, and maintenance should address this work," Kape said.
Work on the pipe was due to begin this week, but was postponed due to forecast rain.
By Matthew Rosenberg, Local Democracy Reporter
Public Interest Journalism funded by NZ On Air
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