Brian Rudman: Bureaucracy blocks ferry sewage pump-out facility

It's nine months since harbour ferry operators Fullers Auckland tested the new $400,000 sewage pump-out facilities at the city ferry terminal. There was a blockage or two to begin with, although that was resolved with the introduction of higher-quality toilet paper.

But once proven, the shiny new system was moth-balled and the ferries reverted to the bad old practice of dumping their sullage - the fancy word for what ferry passengers deposit in the boats' lavatories - into the sparkling Waitemata Harbour. Why? So the Biro-pushers could continue to agonise over such brainteasers as who was going to connect up the hoses, what grade safety gloves would have to be worn and how best to measure sewage flows, for charging purposes.

What should be the good news is that Kevin Brown, ferry terminals manager for Auckland Regional Transport Network Ltd (ARTNL), says the sullage should finally start flowing out to the Mangere treatment plant in two to three weeks. But I'm not holding my breath. I've waited in vain for too many 005 buses to believe in any timetable involving Auckland public transport.

I returned from my Christmas break on Monday to find regional council chairman Mike Lee, a frequent Waiheke ferry user, almost apoplectic about the issue. He thought the new pumps had been in use for months. "For Fullers to continue to be dumping industrial-sized loads of sewage into the gulf, which is incidentally in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, is just no longer tolerable."

In the Alice in Wonderland of local politics, this is one sentiment that all sides seem to agree with. Fullers general manager Michael Fitchett told me, "In this modern world it's not on. It's pretty Third World. A lot of countries don't allow what is allowed in New Zealand."

Mr Brown of ARTNL says: "I can see the frustration of people. There would be no more passionate people than us trying to get it going."

So with everyone agreed it's unacceptable, why has the pumping station remained unused since its completion many months ago - last May, if you believe Fullers, or October, if you take ARTNL's word? Unfortunately both sides tell such different stories I'm little the wiser.

Mr Fitchett says that back in 1996, Fullers wanted to fund a pumping station for itself but the port company opposed this and so did Auckland City Council, claiming the city's downtown sewer pipes couldn't handle the expected loads.

He says all but one of Fullers' ferries were upgraded and ready to link with ARTNL's new facility by February last year. They've been waiting ever since.

ARTNL in turn blames the delay partly on Fullers' refusal to allow its crew to operate the pumps. Mr Fitchett agrees but says that issue was resolved well before the facility was completed with ARTNL offering to employ a specialist operator. "It's their equipment; what would happen if we buggered it up? What if there's an accident?"

Health and safety issues were also raised. The operator required showering facilities and somewhere to store safety equipment. There was also the need to co-ordinate with neighbouring Princes Wharf. There were fears that if Princes Wharf emptied its huge sewage-holding tank into the city drainage system at the same time the chain was pulled on the ferry wharf tank, manhole covers throughout downtown Auckland might erupt skyward.

Listening to the sweet reasonableness of both sides, it's hard to understand why these issues weren't quickly resolved over a quick voyage in the saloon bar of the Devonport Ferry.

But like all Auckland transport issues, if there's a hard way to do it, nothing's surer than that's the course we'll take. But Mr Brown assures me the sullage operative is now appointed and is recovering from his hepatitis jabs. Then the discharge of sewage into our harbour from passenger ferries will be a thing of the past. Well not entirely.

While Fullers, the major operator, plans to be a good citizen, there are plenty of other ferry outfits who seem happy to go on polluting the harbour, rather than spend a few bucks on fitting appropriate pump-out piping for their effluent tanks.

Inadequate maritime rules allow it, but we Aucklanders could show our displeasure by boycotting these polluters until they got the message.