About 150-200 small native fish have died in the lower section of the Courtney Road drain and Tauranga City Council suspects someone has caused this by allowing washing contaminants to enter the stormwater system.

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Tauranga City Council communications manager Elizabeth Hughes says this incident serves as an important reminder to industry and the public in general to ensure contaminants do not enter the stormwater system. All outside drains, including roof downpipes, yard sumps, driveway and road sumps and any other grates drains or sumps lead directly to waterways. There is no treatment of any water that enters these drains. Care should be taken when handling chemicals or washing outside areas, buildings, equipment and vehicles to ensure contaminants do not enter stormwater drains. Polluters face fines of up to $300,000 (for individuals) or $600,000 (for corporations) or two years imprisonment.

This information from Tauranga City Council weekly bulletin, for the week beginning Monday, February 1, published below.

City Waters
Water Supply:
* A water mains break at Chadwick Road has proven to be quite serious. Bethlehem, Brookfield, Otumoetai and Matua customers are asked to conserve water today and tomorrow. The water main that has broken feeds the Cambridge Road reservoir, which supplies water to the above areas. The extent of the pipe damage and the type of pipe that has broken means that it is going to take at least one - or possibly two days - to repair. A secondary main to the reservoir is still working, but at a reduced rate. This is a different situation to the Joyce Road plant electrical failure, in which we were asking the whole city to conserve water; this alert only affects Bethlehem, Brookfield, Otumoetai and Matua, which are all now reliant on whatever water supply is currently in the Cambridge reservoir.
* All customers throughout the city are strongly encouraged to continue to 'use water wisely' as the city has not yet had enough rain to counter the dry weather and resulting high water demand levels. Any further dry spells are likely to further increase demand for water. TCC asks that customers use hand held hoses in the cool of the evening or early morning rather than irrigation systems.
* The system instrumentation issue at Joyce road treatment plant that resulted in an urgent 'Conserve Water' message being issued to the city last week is under investigation.
* A mains break on Grove Avenue temporarily affected supply this week, but is now fixed. Reinstatement work is underway.
* The watermain replacement in Hillcrest Road and Cameron Street between Elizabeth and Spring Street is progressing. Apollo Street and Pamela Place are due to commence February/March.
* The replacement of a pressure reducing valve and installation of a bulk meter is currently underway on Poike Road and this work is due for completion end January.
* The Ohauiti High Level water supply reservoir is being filled for testing. The construction of this new reservoir includes installation of over 1.1 km of new water main and will service the Ohauiti area.
* Otumoetai Watermain Upgrade - Connecting up in Otumoetai Road and Waihi Road and installation in Pillans Road and Ruston Avenue
* Fire hydrant marking and servicing continues in the Maunganui and Salisbury area and throughout the city over the next few months
* Backflow surveys will commence 1 February in meter Zone 17 (Maungatapu) and Zone 20 (Welcome Bay). This survey will focus on commercial and industrial properties to ascertain if there are any potential operations that could affect the quality of our water network is a cross connection occurred. However, any home based operation such as hair salons will also be visited. The survey will take most of February and the contractor, (Norman M Ellis Ltd) has a letter of introduction and an Council ID card.

Drainage:

* Work in the Meadowland Pond (Matua salt marsh area) to clear a quantity of raupo, other weed growth and silts that were choking up the ponds has now been completed.
* Sovereign Drain and the Carlton Reserve pond have been cleaned.
* Work has started on spraying of open drains in the city and is scheduled to carry through to the end of February 2010.
* A short section (15 to 20m) of sewer pipeline is being replaced and regraded in the rear section of a couple of properties in Linton Crescent, Matua. This is due to ongoing pipe sagging issues causing repeat blockages in recent years.
* The contractor working on the Ngatai Road stormwater pipe upgrade uncovered a section of damaged sewer pipeline that required the pipe to be repaired.
* Bakels Edible Oils Ltd are working with Council on replacement and upsizing of a small section of the sewer main within their yard off Hutton Place. This is in conjunction with other Bakels upgrade works, and work is expected to start on the pipeline next week.

Stormwater Pollution:
* Audit reports have been completed and delivered to all scrap metal dealers and auto dismantlers across the city. These reports detail findings and recommendations made to site owners and occupiers regarding stormwater and soil contamination following joint audits carried out late last year by TCC and EBOP Pollution Prevention Officers. Liaison with all sites will continue over the next few months to ensure all recommendations are addressed.
* Ongoing progress is being made with Oil Companies in the city regarding recommendations made following audits carried out last year on all service station and truck stop sites by TCC and EBOP Pollution Prevention Officers.
* All concrete manufacturing facilities are currently being assessed and recommendations made to manage stormwater pollution issues.
* Work is to commence on investigating the cause of consistently elevated bacterial levels within drains in the Courtney Road area. Specific water quality testing will be carried out to determine the origin of these elevated levels

Waiari Water Supply Project:
* Three appeals have been received against the resource consents for the construction and operation of a new water intake and treatment plant to serve the Papamoa urban growth area. Tauranga City Council is in discussions with the appellants and parties must report progress to the Environment Court by 26 February 2010.

Water Demand Management Project:
* A pressure management pilot project is being planned for the Poike and Mangatapu areas to reduce night flow water losses. The project comprises the upgrading of pressure control devices and piloting of flow modulating pressure control devices. Implementation will resume in January and pressures and losses will be carefully monitored during the next few months and adjustments made as necessary.

Southern Pipeline:
* Work is continuing on the new 1,300m3 wastewater storage tank and pump station site at Maleme Street with the shell of the tank now completed and all works expected to be completed in June 2010.
*
All appeals against the resource consents have been resolved with the final resource consents expected to be issued in the near future.
* Work on extending the existing sewer in Maleme Street is complete with the exception of the final reinstatement.
* The first section of pipeline being between Maleme and Memorial is programmed to be tendered in the second quarter of 2010 with construction starting in the 3rd quarter of 2010.
* Work is continuing on detailed investigation for the Judea Link emergency management option.

Inflow Reduction Project:
* Letters have begun to be sent out this week to a number of property owners in the Beaumaris & Bethlehem Heights areas, advising the commencement of gully trap inspections in their street. Council is taking a staged approach, inspecting around 100 properties at a time. Inspections are scheduled to begin at notified properties from Tuesday 2 February 2010. All affected customers will receive a letter advising when inspectors are visiting their properties before inspections begin.
* If you have special property access arrangements or have a dog, please contact us on (07) 577 7000

Parks and Leisure
* Work well underway now on the Outdoor Classroom being constructed at the Gordon Carmichael Reserve with City Care Partnership money.
* Matua Salt Marsh walkway resurfacing continues.
* Large numbers of visitors are walking Mauao with 117,838 going around the base track and 19,486 going to the summit in December.
* Waitangi Day dawn service will be taking place on the summit at 7am. Hikoi starting at 5.30am, meeting at the Pilot Bay side of Mauao.

City Projects
* Contracts have been awarded for the construction of new changing and storage facilities at Gordon Spratt Reserve. McMillan & Lockwood were awarded the contract for the new changing/storage facility and Letts Building were awarded the contract for a separate storage facility at the rserve. Work is anticipated to commence in March. A user group meeting held this week at the Reserve received very positive feedback for the plans.
* A new 100mm waterline at the recently named Cambridge Park (old Cambridge Road Landfill) is currently being installed. This will provide water to the new public toilet (designed but yet to be constructed) and fire fighting supply.
* New information signs for McLaren Falls Park are currently being designed and scheduled to be installed in February. Also being installed are new directional signs for vehicles which will improve navigation around the park. This work is being undertaken as part of the implementation of the reserve management plan for the park.

Transportation
* Bethlehem Roundabout: Construction of the new roundabout on SH2 at Bethlehem west has started. Clearing of trees within the road boundaries is underway. Work is expected to take about six months to complete. Traffic management and site screens will be in place but only minimal delays are expected in the early stages of construction. Motorists are advised to take care when driving through the work site.
* Parton Road: Work is continuing on laying the new kerb and channel and footpaths. There will be unsealed sections and temporary speed restrictions will be in place. Installation of twin culverts across Parton Road at the Wairakei drainage reserve is underway. Traffic control will be in place and when required temporary one way system will be in operation.
* Local Road Resealing: The local road resealing programme is underway and will continue until late March. Generally this work will involve minimal disruption to traffic.
* Links Avenue: Work to remove existing speed humps is underway. The speed humps will be replaced with speed cushions. There will be traffic management in place so please take care when driving in the area and follow the temporary signs.
* Andrew Place/Shelley Street: Work to install new storm water pipes is underway. Some minor disruption to traffic is possible.
* Vale Street: Work to reshape Vale Street between Baden Street and Landscape Road to form an overland stormwater flow path during severe storms has started. This week the kerb and channel is being relayed in Vale Street between Baden Street and Hinewa Road. The whole project is likely to take eight months to complete and intermittent disruption to traffic is likely. Please take care when driving in the area.
* Tri-action by Triumph Women's Triathlon Road Closures: Salisbury Avenue, The Mall, Adams Avenue, Marine Parade and Ocean Beach Road will be closed on 1st February from 6.00am until 12.00 noon for the Tri-action by Triumph Women's Triathlon. The affected roads will reopen progressively from about 9:00am as participants pass through each area. The last areas are expected to reopen around midday. Detours will be in place to provide access to the Salisbury Wharf area during the event.
* Wharf /Willow Streets: Major road works are due to start on Wharf and Willow Streets later this month. The work will involve reconstructing and resurfacing the road and installing new kerb and channelling. Additional work includes upgrading the sewer, stormwater, watermains, and some parts of the footpath. While these road works are underway, the Hopper buses will operate from temporary bus stops on Durham Street. In preparation for this work starting temporary bus shelters have been put on Durham Street, near Baycourt. Details on bus stop changes will be available closer to when the work is due to start.
* Speed Limit Changes: Amendments to the Speed Limit Bylaw 2009 means the following speed limit changes came into effect on 22 January.
- Moffat Road: between Cambridge Road and Orange Lane the speed limit changed from 70km/h to 60 km/h
- Maranui Street: between Sunrise Avenue and Papamoa Beach Road the speed limit changed to 60km/h
- Papamoa Beach Road: between Maranui Street and a point just south of Kirkpatrick Place the speed limit changed to 60km/h except on the approach to Papamoa Domain roundabout where the speed limit remains at 50km/h

Libraries
* A savings report was presented to Council on Tuesday (26 January 2010) by the General Manager of Libraries. This report was regarding savings that could be made in the libraries budget over the next three years. Councillors' accepted the report and the proposed savings will be incorporated in Council's annual budget which is consulted on as part of the annual plan process. The proposed charges for adult loans was not discussed again at this meeting. Elected members are looking for community feedback on 'charges and savings' through the Annual Plan submission process to assist them to make decisions about this proposal.

Democracy
Projects & Services Committee - Tuesday, 2 February
* Progress Report on Key Transportation Projects - To update the Committee on the progress of key transportation projects.
* Mount Green Sports Facility & Cosmopolitan Club Project - To provide a project update for the Project & Services Committee.
* Southern Pipeline - To provide a project update for the Committee.
* Waiari Water Supply Project Progress Update - To provide a project update for the Committee.
* Tauranga Indoor Sport and Exhibition Centre - To provide a project update for the Committee.
* Forward Risk Management Key Issues Discussion - An opportunity for Elected Members to raise issues relating to the Risk Management Framework.

Hearing Before Commissioner - Friday 5 February at 9.00 am

* Determination of a Notice of Requirement for a Designation of Land at 29 Waihi Road, Tauranga - To consider and determine a notice of requirement by Tauranga City Council – City Waters pursuant to Section 168A of the Resource Management Act 1991 for a public work within its district for which it has financial responsibility comprising municipal wastewater services, management, pump stations, accesses and all associated infrastructure, activities and ancillary services. This matter will be heard before Independent Commissioner Greg Hill.