Lack of sewerage stinks, say Shakespeare Rd residents

Shakespeare Rd residents say their properties, a short distance from Wanganui's central business area, should not have to rely on septic tank effluent disposal.
They want to hook up with the Wanganui District Council's sewerage system.
Approaches have come from Colin Luttrell, Paul and Clare Wilson, Aaron McLean and Heather and Philip Kubiak.
Another resident, Karen Howard, does not want to be connected to the council system.
"To my knowledge my own septic tank runs well," she said in a submission tabled at the council's infrastructure committee meeting on Wednesday. "I am not aware any of my neighbours have problems with their own septic tanks.
"If any do have such problems, why should I have to pay the consequences ? the cost of connecting to mains?"
Mr Luttrell said the absence of sewerage reticulation on this part of Bastia Hill negatively affected property values, subdivision potential, the area's growth, health and image.
"I find it odd that a suburb so close to the central business district should still be on septic tanks," he said.
Mr and Mrs Wilson said they had an old, failing septic tank system, and waste was becoming a health hazard.
"Piping into the city sewerage system is our only viable option, and we are certainly not alone with this view."
Mr and Mrs Kubiak said raw sewage was flowing on to their land and an adjoining property.
"Our drains need constant plunging to alleviate this problem. We are astounded that a suburb so close to the city and with higher property values has no effective sewage disposal. The soil on Bastia Hill is not porous enough to cope with this drainage via septic tank.
"In a high-value suburb (with rates to match) it is unacceptable that an ineffective and dangerous on-site sewage disposal is the only option available to property owners."
Mr McLean said he owned a Shakespeare Rd section in an area where with old-style septic tank systems caused problems ? foul smells and effluent run-off. The residents were responding to the council's obligatory assessment of water and sanitary services. The infrastructure committee will discuss submissions on November 30.