Cleaning up Curio Bay
Apex Water negotiated a contract with Southland District Council to build a new wastewater treatment plant at Curio Bay. This was required to cope with the ever-increasing numbers of campers and day visitors.
Due to the high-quality effluent produced by a Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) plant, this technology was identified by all parties as the best option for this beautiful and environmentally sensitive part of New Zealand. An important requirement of the treatment plant was that it had a minimal visual impact on the area so all the tanks were either partially or completely buried and painted. With the MBR installed the camping area is now well able to deal with future growth in visitor numbers and the subsequent increase in sewage volume.
The upgraded treatment plant has also allowed for the wider development of the area a Natural Heritage Centre, café and public toilets. The advantage of the MBR process is that it can cope with large fluctuations in wastewater volumes and produces a high-quality effluent to discharge.
