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A flurry of photos hit the Hibiscus Matters’ inbox after the storm overnight on August 8, including a number showing the large brown smudge of outflow heading into the sea from Ōrewa Estuary and Nukumea Stream.
This is nothing new after extreme heavy rain, and although stormwater mixing with sewage remains a big issue in our area, Auckland Council’s Graham Jones of the Proactive Compliance Unit says earthworks are the principal cause.
His team, which checks for sediment control compliance on residential house building sites, was busy in the days following the storm.
Jones says that building sites within the Pacific Heights subdivision in north Ōrewa, near Nukumea Stream, were issued with seven infringements and a couple of abatement notices (changes that need to be made on site) on August 10. Each infringement comes with a $750 fine. They are issued for things such as not making changes to sediment controls that the compliance team had asked for earlier, or because sediment was coming off the site during the visit.
Jones says that the sediment control systems required by Council may no longer be fit for purpose as heavy storms become more frequent with climate change.
He says Council’s guiding document on earthworks/sediment control requirements could be up for review in the near future.
