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Around the motu: Samantha Gee in Nelson
An image of the area where gathering shellfish and whitebait is prohibited due to problems with the Motueka Wastewater plant. Photo: Supplied/ Tasman District Council
Samantha Gee discusses wastewater woes in Nelson - the Tasman District Council issued warnings against collecting shellfish or whitebait from the coastal area around the Motueka River last month, after problems with the filtration membranes were detected at its treatment plant.
Now the council says this has been happening since they were first installed as part of an eight million upgrade to the plant in 2014. They had been able to address it by acid-washing or back washing the filters but come September, that was no longer working.
And, more than a year on from the August flooding across the top of the South Island, some residents still remain in limbo.