Viewpoint – Inspiring confidence

The official opening of the new wastewater facility at Snells Beach this month marks an important milestone for our community. For many years, residents have rightly raised concerns about the pressure that older water infrastructure has placed on both our environment and our ability to grow as a region.

This investment in a modern, fit-for-purpose facility is a strong step forward.

One of the greatest benefits will be the significant improvement in water quality within the Mahurangi Harbour. This is not just an environmental matter – though protecting and enhancing our natural surroundings should always be a priority – it is also an economic and lifestyle issue. The Mahurangi Harbour is at the heart of local aquaculture, which depends on clean, healthy waters to thrive. Mussel and oyster farms, which provide jobs and export opportunities, can only prosper if the harbour is free from contamination. By ensuring a higher standard of wastewater treatment, we are safeguarding both livelihoods and local identity.

Equally important is the role our harbour plays in recreation. Readers of Mahurangi Matters will be among the families across the district who enjoy boating, swimming, and fishing in these waters.

Tourists come to experience the same. Clean water underpins this way of life and supports businesses that rely on visitors to the area.

There’s also a practical benefit in terms of housing. North Auckland continues to experience strong population growth, with more people wanting to live and work in this part of the region. Without robust wastewater infrastructure, development simply cannot proceed in a sustainable way. The Snells Beach facility provides a solid foundation for carefully managed growth, ensuring new housing can be built without compromising the environment.

Of course, there is still much more to do. Our community continues to need further investment in infrastructure – both in relation to water and in other essential services. Earlier in the week I took the opportunity to check progress on those works in the vicinity of Queen and Elizabeth Streets in the Warkworth town centre. And it’s always possible, as well as entirely reasonable, to argue that such works ideally would have been conducted a decade ago.

Even so, recognising milestones such as the opening of this facility is important: they remind us that progress is possible, while encouraging ongoing advocacy for the next stages of infrastructure. As I commented at the wastewater treatment plant official opening, I’m grateful to the workers, along with Ngati Manuhiri and community groups, who have interacted positively with the project.

It is my hope that this initiative inspires some confidence about our future. By protecting the Mahurangi Harbour, supporting local industry, encouraging recreation and enabling growth, the new facility is a win for the entire community.