Where it started
The existing plant in Matos Segedin Drive has been operating since the 1970s and receives wastewater - basically everything that goes down toilets, sinks, showers and drains - from Cambridge and surrounding areas.
Wastewater treatment plants are critical to maintaining public health and minimising the contamination of land and waterways.
Why it needed to change
The current plant receives wastewater, treats it, and then discharges it to land. The treated water then travels to the Waikato River as groundwater.
While this form of treatment was acceptable in the past, environmental standards are now much more stringent. Council also has greater aspirations and legal responsibilities to improve and protect the health of the Waikato River, through Te Ture Whaimana o Te Awa o Waikato - The Vision and Strategy for the Waikato River,
Over the past several years, we’ve been upgrading the existing plant to comply with changing operating conditions, while we construct and commission the new, state-of-the-art treatment plant, which will use some of the most advanced technology available. When complete, it will be one of the most sophisticated wastewater treatment plants in New Zealand.
Image: Cambridge Wastewater Treatment Plant - late 2023
What's changing
The new plant will treat wastewater to a standard that is comparable to the best treatment plants in New Zealand. This will be done utilising Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) technology.
The new plant will look very different from the original pond-based system (including wetland ponds), which requires a very large area to operate.
With a smaller footprint, the new plant is around one-third of the size of the existing plant. That means unused land on the site, which is not required for the new plant, can be remediated and put to better use.
The facility will also include its own on-site solar farm, generating enough energy to power the plant during the day. It is designed for minimal visual, noise and odour impact, and will meet the highest quality effluent standards. Biosolids produced by the plant will be taken off-site for re-use as compost by a third party.
A 3D illustration of the new plant
