If all goes to plan, Kaitāia residents will start getting freshwater from the controversial Sweetwaters Aquifer through their taps from Friday as the $17 million-plus project finally nears a conclusion.

Far North District Council (FNDC) started the Sweetwaters project in 2011, with the scheme gathering pace after the 2020 drought that hit Northland. It was designed to provide clean drinking water for Kaitāia and surrounds and do away with the need to take water from the vulnerable Awanui River.

The situation got so bad that water tanks had to be placed in Kaitāia as the Awanui River ran extremely low during the drought.

But the project has been dogged with problems and the project has now soaked up $17m of ratepayer money, with the final cost likely to top $20m. It’s missed two deadlines over the past two years to deliver the water, but the council says the wait should soon be over.

FNDC head of infrastructure Tanya Proctor said water from the Sweetwater bores was now at the water treatment plant in Kaitāia.

Proctor said the next stage was to commission the plant. There are several steps in that process: running the water through the new membrane filter to test and fine-tune its operation; ensure telemetry (sensors and other data collection devices) is operating correctly; flush and disinfect the membrane and associated pipework; and train operators to use the new equipment.

“With the current programme and progress, water from the Sweetwater bores will be introduced to the Kaitāia supply on Friday, February 14,” she said.

The goal is for people to start using the freshwater from Friday, but it will be contingent upon the successful completion of all the other steps outlined above.

The council initially promised the water would be flowing through taps in the town in December 2023, then again in December last year, but issues prevented that.

Emergency tanks had to be placed in Kaitāia during the 2020 drought as the town’s water supply dried up. It’s hoped the Sweetwaters Aquifer project will end the need for such emergency action.

But Te Hiku ward district councillor Mate Radich said he would believe it when he tasted the Sweetwater because previous promises had failed to deliver.

“I’ll hold my breath and sit back and wait and see if it does [get delivered this week]. We’ve heard it all before and it still hasn’t happened yet.”

Radich has previously called the entire project a debacle that has taken too long and cost far too much.

One issue holding up the project was sourcing a membrane filter from overseas to install at the Kaitāia Water Treatment Plant to treat both the Sweetwater bore and Awanui River sources. FNDC then said the water would be ready by the end of December, but again that deadline was missed.

Compounding delays, the Government’s Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) said on May 10 it had issued an abatement notice to FNDC in relation to the unauthorised discharge of water from the Sweetwater bores.

The abatement notice is still in place, but the council said it was unable to comment further on why it was still in place at this stage.

“The abatement notice required the council to immediately stop discharging water from the bores to the surrounding wetland. This abatement notice remains in place,” the EPA said.

“As New Zealand’s national environmental regulator, the EPA undertook the investigation following a request from the Northland Regional Council. Under the RMA [Resource Management Act], the EPA has specific enforcement powers to assist and intervene in an enforcement action of a council.”

EPA investigations manager Jackie Adams said the abatement notice was still in place and would remain so until the council acquired appropriate discharge consent from Northland Regional Council.

The EPA would not comment further at this stage.