Construction of the pipe between the Pines Wastewater Treatment Plant and the townships of Darfield and Kirwee is complete. Two new pumpstations have been constructed in each of the townships. Once enough properties have been connected to the sewer, these pumpstations will be put in full time use.

Now the big infrastructure has been built, we are building the smaller pipes within the townships, starting with pipework to serve new growth areas of Darfield and Kirwee.  Large areas of new development are being given priority, to reduce the number of new septic tanks being installed.  These areas are shown as ‘growth areas’ on the map below and will be constructed to coincide with new development coming online.

Existing township stage 1 areas are budgeted to be constructed in 2028-2031.

Existing township stage 2 and 3 areas are budgeted to be constructed in 2034-2038.

The priority of existing township areas is indicative, we will use information on septic tank consent expiry to help prioritise connection of the areas within the existing township.

Once the pipework in your street has been built, you can apply to Council to connect your property to the wastewater network.

We are targeting the growth areas of Darfield and the central business  areas first and looked at which parts of the town could be efficiently serviced.  Existing large sections (around 5000m2) were excluded from the proposed catchment. Large lot sections can sustainably maintain onsite treatment.

If your property is provided with a connection, you will need to pay an annual wastewater rate which will cover the capital and operating costs for the scheme.  The costs will vary each year and have not yet been set by Council.

In addition the property owner will need to pay for physically connecting their house to the sewer connection point at the property boundary. This cost will be different for each household, because it depends on how far back your house is from the road or how hard it is to access gully traps. For most households, this is estimated to cost around $5,000, with only the most complicated connections costing up to around $20,000.

Council will lay a pipe to the boundary of your property.  Property owners are responsible for installation of the pipe from your house to your property boundary.  These works will need to be done by a suitably qualified/licensed contractor at your cost.

A building consent is required for all connections to the wastewater network.  Information on the new connection approval process can be found here.

Selwyn District Council - Wastewater

We currently have no plans to extend the scheme. If the scheme is proposed to be extended in the future, then this will be subject to consultation with the community.  Council consulted with the community in 2019 and 2020 on the development of the scheme but Council welcomes submissions as part of the next Long Term Plan consultation.

If a connection to the proposed reticulated network is available, then households will have to either connect to it or seek a restricted discretionary consent from Environment Canterbury to retain their septic tank.

Modern on-site wastewater consents from Environment Canterbury often have conditions requiring households to connect within a specified timeframe. Under Rule 5.7 of the Land and Water Regional Plan, existing septic tanks are only permitted if there is no sewerage network available, and Under Rule 5.8, new, modified or upgraded septic tanks are only permitted if there is no sewerage network available.

Regardless of whether a property connects or not, they will need to pay annual wastewater rates if they are within the scheme boundaries.

It is the property owners decision whether to remove an old septic tank that is no longer used. The tank will need to be cleaned out and can either be removed or filled and remain in place.

Contact Environment Canterbury to talk about your individual property.  There are rules in the Land and Water Regional Plan that may permit your on-site wastewater discharge (meaning consent is not needed), if certain conditions are met.

The Council and its contractors will maintain access to your property throughout any works but please contact us if you have any specific concerns.

There will be no disruption to your mail delivery or existing services, such as water, wastewater and storm water during the construction of the pipeline.

If your property is directly affected by works you can expect to receive a works notice from SDC’s contractor prior to starting.

Information on the latest road works for the project can be found below.

We are aware some of these roads are utilised for specific needs, such as moving stock or business access, and in most instances we expect to be able to accommodate specific needs.

Please contact us if you have any specific needs and wish to enquire how these will be addressed.

The Council intends to reinstate areas that have been worked on to how they were before. For example, in areas where grass berms were trenched the contractors will shape the berm to return a similar profile, then remove large stones and wood that may be present, before seeding the berm. SDC’s contractors will also be using water carts to help the grass to strike quickly over the summer months.

If you have any concerns related to the reinstatement please get in contact with us.

In the 2017/18 Annual Plan the Council signalled that a joint working party involving representatives from the Council, the Malvern Community Board, the Darfield and Kirwee Township Committees, Canterbury District Health Board and Environment Canterbury would further consider options for the possible establishment of a wastewater scheme for Darfield and Kirwee, which do not currently have a reticulated wastewater system.

The Council undertook a business case for the scheme, including consultation with Darfield and Kirwee residents in 2019.

Following this, the Council voted in February 2020 to progress work on a wastewater scheme for Darfield and Kirwee.

The Council agreed that there was sufficient evidence to support planning for a wastewater scheme in central Darfield. Further consultation on a possible system for central Darfield and developments in the township was part of the consultation for the 2020/21 Annual Plan. The Council confirmed it would continue to seek cost-effective and environmentally sound solutions for both the Darfield and Kirwee communities.

In December 2020 the Council was granted $10.66 million of funding from the Department of Internal Affairs for the project as part of the three waters infrastructure stimulus funding post-COVID-19.

In the Long-Term Plan 2021-2031 the Council included further consultation on the proposal for the wastewater scheme. In response to feedback from the public it agreed to continue with the proposal, constructing the scheme for all new developments and for the central business area in Darfield, and to review the costs and timeline for existing homes to connect to the to the scheme.

The following documents have been previously commissioned and are available for download.

• Preliminary Report on the Issues and Options for Land Treatment and Disposal of Sewage from Darfield 1996
• Modelling impact of Darfield and Kirwee Wastewater Discharges on Groundwater Quality 2011
• Existing onsite wastewater treatment systems assessment in Darfield 2014
• The Potential Hazard On-Site wastewater Treatment Systems in Darfield and Kirwee 2014 (and Appendices)
• Public health risk assessment of sewage disposal by onsite wastewater treatment and disposal systems in the Darfield and Kirwee Communities 2014
• Darfield Wastewater Strategy 2016
• Darfield and Kirwee Wastewater Strategy 2017
• Darfield Public Meeting Presentation 2019
• Darfield Wastewater Case for Change
• 2021 Groundwater Monitoring