Latest News Wastewater Scheme Gets Consent The green light has been given to Masterton District Council to proceed in upgrading its urban wastewater plant. In granting a 25-year consent for the new scheme, the Hearings Committee report has gone as far to say the new scheme will likely ‘be the envy of many other provincial towns’. Masterton Mayor Garry Daniell said the approval was great news ‘made even better by what the report contains’. The commissioners said, in the report received by Council on Tuesday: “We find this to be a significant improvement on the current situation. We observe that a wastewater treatment system such as that proposed by the applicant would be the envy of many other provincial towns and in our view the applicant is to be commended for their initiative.” Hearings into the Council’s consent applications were held over three weeks in March, Mr Daniell said. “These hearings were a comprehensive process in which proposals were questioned in detail by submitters and commissioners. The decision to grant the consent confirms the Council made the correct decision for both the Masterton District and the environment. “It’s a positive outcome and we are relieved to be able to proceed with the next stage in the process. It would be my hope that the consent approval will now enable the community to get in behind the scheme to minimise any further delays and more costs. “A considerable amount of time, money and effort has gone into getting this far and we are keen to move forward apace now with our focus on getting the scheme up and operational,” Mr Daniell said. 22 April 2009