Muri-EU Water and Sanitation Project Management Committee Meeting 2nd July 2010

Paul Maoate of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning reported on work completed in Muri as part of the Muri-EU project and the IWRM (Integrated Water Resources Management) projects. Fourteen boreholes have been dug to determine the depth of the water table, confirm soil types and provide points for sampling groundwater.Preliminary observations show that the groundwater is less than 2m deep along the foreshore. Water Supply and Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR) are to coordinate a lagoon, groundwater and drinking water testing regime. There is a small budget for testing local innovations for effective and appropriate wastewater treatment solutions under IWRM. The recent risk assessment survey of Muri involved interviewing property owners in Muri about how much water they use, whether they catch their own rainwater or rely on the main water supply and how they treat their wastewater. The survey was done by MEC volunteers. The data was entered into a computer mapping system (GIS) to produce maps that would be sent to a risk assessment specialist. This has since been completed and the results were communicated at a public meeting in Muri late last month. Sylvia George, the communications advisor reported on awareness done in the village. The project has been reported on radio, newspaper and television in both Maori and English. A Muri Eco-warriors programme was started for young children of the area. A project website has been established www.murienvirocare.com. There is also a facebook page for the project. A poster, essay, poem and debate competition was to be completed at Takitumu School 13-16 July 2010. There is also a project documentary underway focusing on the first phase of the project. This is being done by the CITV production team. Village notice boards have also be established outside key stores with information on the project. Sylvia has since finished her contract with EU and has moved overseas. A new communications advisor is due to be contracted. Also due is the deployment of a sanitation engineer who can formulate design concepts for the implementation phase of the project. An action fiche (work plan) is due to be completed in September 2010.