Bid to solve pesky midge problem for Bromley residents

Residents will meet with staff from the nearby wastewater treatment to try to solve the midge problem. Photo / Geoff Sloan

Midge-plagued Bromley residents will meet with staff from the nearby wastewater treatment plant, the city council and the Coastal-Burwood Community Board tomorrow in hopes of working out a solution to a problem they say is getting worse every year.

Board chairwoman Kim Money said the meeting would allow affected residents the chance to air their feelings.

"We want the residents to feel comfortable to say what they want to say to staff. All of us want to sit down and have a really open and good discussion."

In spite of an $800,000 spend over the past two years, locals say their properties are inundated with swarms of the non-biting insects over summer, forcing them indoors and making life a misery.

They say the current methods of control aren't working, and want the city council to look at alternatives.

Shortland St resident Janet Profit said she and others were "over it," and wanted the problem sorted before next summer. "We can't have another year of it.

Ms Money said she wanted to get all the relevant parties around the table to revisit what had been done and look at what new options were possible.

"We want something positive to come out of this. I know I couldn't live with that."