Restoring Mauri and supporting growth, with the Ruakākā WWTP upgrade

Pattle Delamore Partners was engaged by Whangārei District Council in June 2025 to investigate options and develop a preliminary design for the upgrade of the Ruakākā Wastewater Treatment Plant – serving one of Northland’s fastest-growing coastal communities.

The existing pond-based system serves around 6,000 people, but with significant growth planned for Bream Bay and the future transfer of Waipū wastewater flows to the site, capacity will be exceeded without a major upgrade.

Working with Whangārei District Council and Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust Board, our team led an options investigation and preliminary design for the location of the WWTP, the treatment design and biosolids treatment. We also prepared a geotechnical assessment and contaminated land investigation, and cost estimates to support Council’s decision-making.

We recommended a 4-stage Biological Nutrient Removal process with Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) technology – producing high-quality treated wastewater that meets strict consent requirements and safeguards the health of the bay and its kaimoana.

When the upgraded plant comes online around 2030, it will support a thriving coastal community – and show what’s possible when cultural values and engineering rigour are held together from the start.