Invercargill City Council has dismissed the views of both mana whenua and a community board in making a decision on Bluff’s wastewater.

On Tuesday, councillors voted to proceed with an application for a short-term consent which would allow the small town’s wastewater to continue under current conditions for a further two years.

In doing so, it opted against passing waste through a naturalistic wetland en-route to the ocean — a change which was recommended by a working group, and backed by Awarua Rūnaka, Te Ao Mārama and the Bluff Community Board.

Councillors discussed the issue for almost two hours in a workshop on Tuesday morning before moving to full council where the decision was made.

It follows months of meetings to explore different options, and more than a year’s worth of work by a technical working group.

A major factor in the decision was the government’s indication it hoped to reduce costs for councils through new RMA framework.

That meant making a change to the current set-up could prove a more expensive option.

Waihōpai Rūnaka representative Evelyn Cook noted Awarua Rūnaka had already compromised by supporting the option to discharge waste to the ocean via a wetland.

The rūnaka’s preference was for full land-based discharge, but it had conceded based on cost.

“Waihopai supports the aspirations of Awarua Rūnaka and the Bluff Community Board for the wastewater discharge, recognising that they have compromised what their ideal outcome will have been,” Cook said.

Bluff Community Board chair Ray Fife reiterated his group’s preference for the wetland option, saying it provided more certainty.

“The longer you drag stuff out these days, the more expensive it gets day by day,” he said.

Councillor Darren Ludlow said good decision making was based on what was known, while Ian Pottinger spoke to financials, saying the wetland approach fit within long term plan budgets.

But the decision to continue with the current arrangement for a further two years was ultimately sealed, eight votes to four.

Councillor Alex Crackett believed the government would make good on pushing the legislation through, while Grant Dermody said he was confident the bill would arrive at a clear regulatory environment which would improve environmental outcomes.

The pair were joined in voting for the status quo by mayor Nobby Clark, deputy mayor Tom Campbell, Allan Arnold, Barry Stewart, Steve Broad and Trish Boyle.

Those who preferred the wetland option were Ian Pottinger, Darren Ludlow, Lesley Soper and Ria Bond.

Invercargill City Council’s mana whenua representatives were not able to vote because the decision was made at full council level, not committee.

The Bluff Wastewater Treatment Plant — built in 2000 — will continue to be used regardless of Tuesday’s decision, as will the discharge pipe into Foveaux Strait.

New discharge standards are set to become legislation in August 2025, but two new pieces of RMA legislation won’t take effect until 2026, a council report noted.

Bluff's existing wastewater consent is set to expire in December 2025.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air