Tena taatou, whanau, hapu, friends, and all of our supporters, again thank you all and to all our new supporters for signing and sharing our petition.

We didn't quite reach our target by November, but that's alright; people are still caught in an illusion about the entire situation and also about who we Ngati Ngamurikaitaua are and what we have and are still experiencing to this day, and apparently a decision for the location will be finalized by 2027, so we have a bit of time, and our petition will be handed over to Parliament on October 14th, 2026.

Over the weekend we attended and presented our petitions at the community meeting held at Rukuhia Hall hosted by Stop the Stink and the Nukuhau Residents Society. Each of us has made a lot of progress and is very pleased with everyone's efforts and hard work put in towards getting the SWWTP site selected by the Hamilton City Council changed.

Our Communities Committee is doing an amazing job, so a big thank you to them and to the team engaging with Hamilton City Council and IAWAI. A lot of movement and support is coming through from all parts of the Waipaa and Hamilton Districts. 2 councilors from Waipaa and 2 from Hamilton attended, all new to the kaupapa in engagement with local communities, including Mana Whenua. 

This afternoon there is a public relations meeting at the JetPark Hamilton Airport Conference Center hosted by Hamilton City Council and IAWAI. The meeting will occur for 2 days, today, Wednesday 5th, and Thursday 6th, between 4pm and 7pm.

If you plan on attending, you need to inform Hamilton City Council and IAWAI at the meeting that you support Ngaati Ngamurikaitaua, Nukuhau Residents Society, and the Stop the Stink campaign, and express your opposition to the current site & site selection process for the SWWTP. All we need is for them to change the location. 

We don't really want to go in there and protest but just ask them politely to change the location so our iwi urupa, turangawaewae, hapu, community, Waikato River, and sacred waters are safe and protected from the discharge and erosion.

Find below a few topics with questions you may like to ask Hamilton City Council and IAWAI.

Site Design and Buffer Zone

Could you please clarify the confirmed buffer zone between the SWWTP and neighboring properties?

Is the buffer zone expected to remain consistent over time, or could it be reduced in future stages?

Waste Processing Scope

Will the SWWTP be used to process waste from Northern Hamilton or serve as a backup to the Pukete Plant during peak periods and during maintenance times?

Future Expansion

Are there any anticipated plans to expand the SWWTP site or increase its capacity over time? And to what levels?

Site Selection and Alternatives

We understand several sites were considered and that a viable alternative site exists on Penniket Road. Why was this discounted, as this falls in an industrially zoned area, which could accommodate this type of infrastructure without a zoning change and has high suitability for land discharge?

Facility Scale

When operating at full capacity and all stages are completed.  Is it accurate that the SWWTP building will be approximately 3 times the size of the Trade Depot?

District Boundaries and Zoning

Since the proposed site falls within the Waipa District , will this project involve a boundary adjustment and land use rezoning? And if so, when is this happening?

Reporting and Transparency

The BECA report that considered the various sites gave heavy weighting to a “Tangata Whenua Effects Assessment” (TWEA) report.  Given that the site selection has been finalized, can you clarify why this document isn’t yet available, even though the site has been selected?

Environmental Safeguards

What steps are being taken to reduce the environmental impact of the Southern Wastewater Treatment Plant (SWWTP) on Nukuhau Stream’s wildlife, local residents’ wells & bores, and drinking water—especially considering that treated water still contains pharmaceuticals and will be released upstream of Hamilton’s water supply?

Reminder: If you plan on attending, you need to inform Hamilton City Council and IAWAI at the meeting that you support Ngaati Ngamurikaitaua, Nukuhau Residents Society, and the Stop the Stink campaign, and express your opposition to the current site & site selection process for the SWWTP. All we need is for them to change the location. 

No reira, we'll see you at JetPark.

Ngaa mihi Maioha/Kind Regards

~ Ngaati Ngamurikaitaua