Pollution of Western Bays Beaches - Going, Going, Gone

Under the Banks/C&R watch from 2001 to 2004, there was a lot of money spent on sewerage works in the eastern suburbs, and the eastern beaches were re-sanded. Each year, some 20,000 cubic litres of wastewater-contaminated stormwater flowed onto eastern beaches so something certainly needed to be done about it.

But what about the Western Beaches? The contaminated flow pouring out onto our western beaches was 90 times the volume contaminating the east. But there was no money available from the Banks' council. The three creeks in Western Bays Ward - Meola, Motions and Cox's - are all polluted because decades of C&R councils have under-funded the city's stormwater and sewage infrastructure. Cox's Bay remains a disgrace to Auckland.

The City Vision team on the Western Bays Community Board have consistently advocated for major upgrades to be carried out sooner rather than later. This advocacy has resulted in prompt attention to several smaller projects that have improved water quality in these creeks. Meola Reef is polluted because it was the city tip for many years. The Council has recently capped the old land-fill sites to prevent leachates from polluting the harbour. The City Vision team on the Western Bays Community Board have funded a number of projects to make the reef an attractive recreation area. Members also take an active part in the planting days that have restored native vegetation to the reef and creeks.

At long last, under the City Vision/Labour council, work has started on a major clean-up of the waters feeding into Cox's Bay. To address sewage overflows into Cox's Creek, Metrowater has installed grit traps to help prevent wastewater pipe blockages, and will be separating some local combined stormwater-wastewater pipes in the near future.

In January 2008 work starts on the next step which is to reinstate natural tidal flushing of Cox's Creek to help improve water quality. To do this, polluted sediment that clogs the creek will be removed and water constrictions will be cleared.

Happily, our Western Bays beaches are being restored into pleasant areas for the summer months. Beach facilities have been upgraded and re-sanding of several Western Bays beaches will be done during 2008. How good to know that, with City Vision and Labour leading the council, our western beaches will reach the standard of those on the east.

Graeme Easte, Chair, Western Bays Community Board, 815 9000
Leigh Kennaway, Parks and Reserves Spokesperson, Western Bays Community Board, 815 7475
Kate Stanton, Chair, Cox's Bay Advisory Group, 360 5310

Posted Thu 27 Sep 2007