On 13/9/2012 Sunlive reported that there are growing concerns about insufficient growth to justify spending some $250-300m on building the 23 km pipeline from Maleme St to Te Maunga and then the cost to enlarge the Te Maunga treatment plant.
There are many problems that stem from this and are clearly illustrated for all to see from many years ago, they include: - the cost was to be around $20m in 2004 now $250+m, environmental risk i.e. across the Habour at Elizabeth Street, all the money will have to be borrowed (TCC is already close to its maximum debt), inadequately peer reviewed, the Te Maunga plant processes are around 30 years out of date and modern alternatives are green and efficient.
Bill Faulkner is reported as saying that: - 'We are designing the growth to assist with the projected pipeline,” which tends to indicate that it was built in the 'hope” that there would be some growth one day in the future.
One only needs to look at Kaipara District Council where the Government has appointed a Commissioner because in effect the Council is bankrupt because of a large unnecessary poorly managed waste water project. The Tauranga project is 10x the size and potentially will be crippling to Tauranga City and its ratepayers.

I Stevenson, Tauranga.