Research Project
Water Quality Improvement in the Waiwiri Catchment
LEI worked with Horowhenua District Council and research scientists from ESR and Canterbury University on an exciting project to improve water quality in the Waiwiri catchment.
Water Quality Improvement Trial
The exotic pine plantation surrounding the “Pot” in Horowhenua’s Waiwiri catchment is spray irrigated with treated effluent from Levin’s wastewater treatment plant.
This project replaced 10ha of pine forest with manuka/kanuka and other native species to examine their ability to reduce contaminants entering the Waiwiri Stream.
Monitoring of groundwater was undertaken to quantify the benefits of the new system.
This project replaced 10ha of pine forest with manuka/kanuka and other native species to examine their ability to reduce contaminants entering the Waiwiri Stream.
Monitoring of groundwater was undertaken to quantify the benefits of the new system.
Research Outputs from the Trial
Final Report (2023): Water Quality Improvement in the Waiwiri Catchment through Strategic Establishment of Native Ecosystems with Bioactive Properties Used at a Land Treatment Site
Alexandra Meister, Brett Robinson, María Jesús Gutiérrez-Ginés. Reviewed by Hamish Lowe.
The following publications and presentations derived from this project:
The potential of Myrtaceae species for the phytomanagement of treated municipal wastewater.
Meister, A., Gutiérrez-Ginés, M. J., Lowe, H., & Robinson, B (2023). Plants, 12(15), 2844. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12152844
Nutrient balance in soil-plant systems after 30 years of wastewater irrigation
Gutiérrez-Ginés, M. J., Robinson, B., & Lowe, H. (2023, March 21-23). [Accepted for presentation]. New Zealand Land Treatment Collective Conference, Blenheim.
Native vegetation: a new paradigm for wastewater land application systems?
Meister, A., Lowe, H., Gutiérrez-Ginés, M. J., Rodriguez, J., Bourke, M., & Robinson, B. (2022). Water New Zealand Conference & Expo, 18-20 October 2022, Christchurch.
Soil-plant interactions of New Zealand native vegetation irrigated with treated municipal wastewater.
Meister, A. (2022). [Doctoral thesis, University of Canterbury]. UC Research Repository.
Native vegetation to manage nutrients in wastewater land application schemes
Meister, A., Gutiérrez-Ginés, M. J., Gaw, S., Dickinson, N., & Robinson, B. (2021, May 4-6). [Conference presentation]. New Zealand Land Treatment Collective Conference, Palmerston North.
Native vegetation for the land treatment of municipal wastewater – an update from “The Pot”
Meister, A., Cass, S., Bohm, K., & Gutiérrez-Ginés, M. J. (2019). Putting waste to work. A Centre for Integrated Biowaste Research Publication. Issue 21, Nov 2019. pp 2-3.
The Pot at Levin part of a nationwide study
Horswell, J., Gutiérrez-Ginés, M. J., & Robinson, B. (2019). Putting waste to work. A Centre for Integrated Biowaste Research Publication. Issue 20, June 2019. pp 2.
Manuka and kanuka for the land-treatment of municipal wastewater – an update.
Gutiérrez-Ginés, M. J. (2018). Putting waste to work. A Centre for Integrated Biowaste Research Publication. Issue 18, June 2018. pp 3.
Manuka and kanuka for the land-treatment of municipal wastewater.
Read about research by ESR using manuka to improve water qualityGutiérrez-Ginés, M. J. (2017). Putting waste to work. A Centre for Integrated Biowaste Research Publication. Issue 16, Oct 2017. pp 6.