New $96M Wastewater Treatment Plant For Te Puke

A new $96M wastewater treatment plant will be built in Te Puke, using leading-edge technology that is a first for New Zealand.

The treatment plant will replace the current facility which was built in 1987 and is no longer big enough to handle Te Puke’s growing population, or meet today’s environmental standards. The new plant will also be built to meet modern seismic and safety standards.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council Interim CEO Miriam Taris says this is the largest capital project ever undertaken by Council, and will ensure the right infrastructure is in place to support Te Puke’s long-term future.

“It’s about protecting the health of our waterways, meeting higher environmental standards and ensuring the community and local businesses have reliable wastewater services as Te Puke continues to grow,” says Miriam.

Council’s General Manager Infrastructure Group, Brad Singh, says the new plant will use modern INVENT SBR treatment technology - a proven process internationally.

“This equipment is already being used in New Zealand, but the new Te Puke plant will combine it in a way that is a first for the country. It’s attracting a lot of interest from the local water sector, and we’re proud to be leading the way,” says Brad.

The system works by treating wastewater in a single tank in cycles —filling, cleaning, settling, and draining — so it cleans the water in one place, with improved aeration, meaning the bugs used to help breakdown the wastewater can do so more efficiently.

“This new facility will deliver higher-quality treatment, reduce operational risks, and provide flexibility for future expansion when needed. Importantly, the design has been reviewed independently to confirm it meets Council’s requirements and offers value for money,” he adds.

The contract to design and build the new wastewater treatment plant has been awarded to McConnell Dowell Constructors Ltd.

Although the decision to award the contract was made at Council’s 4 September meeting, confirmation of negotiations and planning work for the process has just been completed.

The contract was awarded following a competitive Early Contractor Involvement process with McConnell Dowell, supported by probity advice from Audit New Zealand and independent cost reviews.

The project will be delivered in stages, with the first stage providing capacity for a population of around 13,000 people, plus Stage 1 of the Rangiuru Business Park. The plant will include the key infrastructure required to enable a second stage that will progress as growth requires, futureproofing the facility until at least 2054.

Council considered a range of options, including upgrading the existing plant, but concluded that a replacement plant offered greater resilience, lower long-term costs, and stronger compliance with environmental standards.

Construction is expected to begin in late December 2025/early January 2026, with the new plant operational in early 2028, following commissioning.