A section of the East Rotoiti/Rotoma wastewater scheme is nearing completion with the treatment plant due to be commissioned.

The Rotoma area is ready to be switched over to operate on the new system.

A Rotorua Lakes Council spokesperson says the commissioning and testing phase of the plant will commence and receive wastewater from the Rotoma area.

'The official opening of the plant will be held on 12 August.

'This will include a pohiri at Taurua Marae and a tour of the new plant. The plant will accept wastewater shortly after that date.”

The plant is currently undergoing testing to make sure all components are working sufficiently. When the plant is deemed safe to function, the commissioning will begin.

'When this happens, properties at Rotoma with Septic Tank Effluent Pre-treatment or STEP tanks installed will be transferred to the new wastewater system.

'The switchover phase will take around two months to complete. Contractors will need to revisit sites to switch over to the new system and decommission the existing system.

'Around 190 of the 212 properties at Rotoma are expected to be operating on the new system within about two months of commissioning.”

So far, a total of 153 STEP tanks have been installed on Rotoma properties.