Mike, our manager at WRT has recently given an interview with Waiheke Radio to enlighten people about Project Little Oneroa. Here is the full interview:

Project Little Oneroa has celebrated success recently after achieving the lowest E. coli levels in 7 years! So, WRT want to give a big thank you to the volunteers and the Waiheke Community, as well as to the Waiheke Local Board, Auckland Council and experts who have contributed in making our project successful thus far.

However, it is important to know that keeping the E. coli levels within the safe thresholds requires a continuous effort. One way to do so is to ensure that your septic tanks are functioning well to reduce the likelihood of septic runoff reaching waterways. Workshops on septic tanks are being held regularly in collaboration with WRT to educate and inform the residents of all Waiheke how to keep their systems healthy. So keep a lookout for these on our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/projectlittleoneroa/

Indeed, more can be done in terms of protecting our aquatic ecosystems in Waiheke. Further parks and catchment management by planting more appropriate vegetation can reduce run-off and protect the water banks that can also have an effect on the water quality. While there are also other sources of pollution to our waterways such as the ducks in the lagoon, there are things we can do to help with those as well. For more details on Project Little Oneroa, septic tank subsidies/upgrades and ways to reduce pollution, visit http://www.wrt.org.nz/projects/project-little-oneroa/