We’re fighting to stop poo flowing into Hokianga harbour

By Ursula Williams

Locals who live on the Hokianga harbour in Northland say it’s a cultural and ecological taonga.

But four wastewater treatment plants, at Ōpononi, Rāwene, Kohukohu and Kaihoke, all discharge into the harbour.

And when it rains heavily the wastewater overflows, meaning semi-treated human waste pours into the water.

We spoke to rangatahi and locals who are fighting to stop poo flowing into their harbour.

The Regions is a docuseries that gives a snapshot of the lives of regional rangatahi in Aotearoa and what matters to them most.

Watch the series now on TVNZ+ and YouTube.

Made with the support of NZ On Air. 

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When it rains, waste overflows into Hokianga waterways.

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The Regions

The Regions is a docuseries that gives a snapshot of the lives of regional rangatahi in Aotearoa and what matters to them most.

Made with the support of NZ On Air.

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