East Rotoiti Sewerage Update

27 August 2021

East Rotoiti Sewerage Update from Rotorua Lakes Council

RLC response of 27 August 21 to LRCA request for an update from Council regarding on-site installations at East Rotoiti.

For those at Gisborne Point, please note that installation requires written approval to Heritage NZ. Remaining properties will not be installed until the Onsite Pretreatment and Archaeological Consent forms are signed. Approval form attached.

Kia ora Roy and all

Thank you for the note below. As you would appreciate the lockdown has forced us to focus onto managing through staff rostering critical essential services and the general wellbeing needs of the community through our Emergency Operations and Welfare Centre. However we are still progressing as best we can our planning for normal works in many areas so in terms of your pertinent inquiry please note below;

The main service provider, Fulton Hogan, has been awarded the tender to install on-site systems in the East Rotoiti area as the final component of the Rotoiti/Rotoma Sewerage Reticulation Scheme. Currently Fulton Hogan and Council staff are developing the programme of works and are negotiating for a site to establish a temporary office presence for the duration of the works. Once the programme is submitted by the contractor and it is approved by Council it can be shared with the community. We hope to have this over the next couple of weeks. The contractor and Council officers have agreed to work to support and enable new builds and those properties with severely non-functioning existing systems (as priorities) but we do want to work through the sites in a logical and logistics management effective manner.

It is expected that each property owner will be contacted directly by Council/Contractor to discuss and agree with on-site specific details (as is appropriate for each property) and prior to commencing any actual on-site works on their property.

Heritage NZ has issued Council an Authority to undertake works at Komuhumuhu, but only on those properties that have signed a pre-approval. RLC will advise Heritage NZ of subsequent property approvals as they are signed off. Signing pre-approval is important as it will allow the contractor to concentrate on those properties and ensure that they are in compliance with the Archaeological Authority.

We are still planning to arrange a community meeting for labour weekend (pandemic of course willing) and will be communicating detail as it develops.

We are also progressing a broader communications plan for the term of the works whereby;

1. Key stakeholders in the community are identified (for regular feedback and to help with wider community information distribution)

2. Regular updates headlines and frequency of updates are drafted and

3. Communications methods (letters, Website, Meetings etc) established.

We are very aware that we do need to work with everyone to ensure as best as possible collaboration and constructive feedback on this final but challenging part of the scheme.

I trust that this provides you with the necessary for now response and will follow up with more as we progress.

In the meantime safe times and patience to all.

Nga mihi

Stavros MIchael, RLC.