Public Health are demonstrating their commitment to improving sewage treatment in the Cook Islands by implementing a four-year strategic plan. The plan includes
training in on-site waste management for sanitary inspectors and health inspectors to improve the enforcement of regulations, the establishment of wastewater testing
capabilities to ensure compliance with sewage treatment standards, revised sewage treatment standards, more frequent communication with the community regarding
sewage treatment issues and improved storage of sewage infrastructure information on Geographical Information System database.
The Sewage Treatment System Upgrade Program Strategic Plan is under review at present.
PUBLIC HEALTH (SEWAGE) REGULATIONS
As a part of the strategic plan, Public Health, together with the National Environment Service and the Asian Development Bank Legal and Institutional Strengthening Project have developed draft sewage regulations to improve sewage treatment standards in the Cook Islands.
The regulations were made available to the public for comment until March 15th 2006. We received comments from over 150 people during that process. Since that time, we have incorporated these comments and circulated them again to two sanitary engineers and a representative of the industry for final comment before beginning the process of enactment.
Please click below to view the draft regulations.
2. Public Health Sewage Regulations Final Draft
SEWAGE AND SANITATION STAGE ONE COURSE
Public Health and the National Environment Service together with NZAID-Marine Resources Institutional Strengthening Project and ADB Legal and Institutional Strengthening of Environmental Management Project held a Sewage and Sanitation: Stage One course for plumbers, drain layers, engineers, inspectors and regulators on the 26 June - 3rd of July, 2006 at the USP centre.
Aim: To enable participants to play an effective part in improving standards of on-site wastewater treatment in the Cook Islands and to reduce adverse public health and environmental impacts
Presenters: Two wastewater engineers from Centre for Environmental Training (CET) (New Zealand and Australia)
Content: Introductory theory and practice of small systems wastewater management. Introduction to draft Public Health Sewage Regulations and codes of practice AS/NZS 1546 and 1547
Syllabus: Lectures interspersed with practical exercises, workshops and field trips
Components of the course were assessed and participants who successfully passed the assessments received a certificate. This certificate will be considered during any application to be registered to operate in the Cook Islands as a sewage treatment system installer, servicing agent, designer, inspector or regulator under the soon to be passed Public Health Sewage Regulations.
