Waikanae Creek

The banks of the Waikanae Creek have been the location of several landfills prior to the 1960s and community efforts to restore the Mauri of the stream are beginning to see some progress.

Several groups and schools have participated in riparian planting and annual stream clean-up days. A recently completed cycleway and walkway provides more access to the stream and there is now a bridge linking Awapuni Primary School with a large part of the pupil catchment area.

The water quality has been recorded at two sites for a limited range of parameters with emphasis on bacterial monitoring. The Grey Street bridge site is included in the LAWA data as it provides the best range of data.

Gisborne city's wastewater treatment plant is located near the banks of the Waikanae Creek. This locality offers some opportunity to consider the level of treatment and potential discharge of treated wastewater into Waikanae Creek. Alternative use and disposal projects associated with the wastewater plant include: a biotrickling filter, a pilot floating wetland and reuse of trade waste from specific commercial use such as water that has been used to wash horticultural produce. The reuse of horticultural washing water is being considered for discharge onto golf courses and may provide increased flow in the Waikanae Creek if the quality of treated water meets stringent requirements that are appropriate to the proposed re-use of water and the receiving environments.