Beyond the Pipes: Report from the July 2021 SymPOOsium
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Full report from July 2021 SymPOOsium about Wellington’s wastewater and sanitation system is available for reading:
The Rubbish Trip is part of Beyond the Pipes – a consortium of experts and community members committed to facilitating conversation, research and exploration of better wastewater and sanitation systems in the Wellington region.
The group exists because Wellington’s wastewater and sanitation systems are broken. Wellington’s pipes are ailing, leaking poo into the streets and bays of the region. Meanwhile, the sewage sludge from the wastewater system is going to landfill, at such a rate that the city’s Southern Landfill is filling up and needs extending.
On Monday 26 July 2021, Beyond the Pipes held a “SymPOOsium” to discuss whether the region should explore alternative approaches to managing human waste and wastewater and, if so, how and where to start.
The SymPOOsium was held in the Council Chambers of the Greater Wellington Regional Council. Roughly 60 people attended, including attendees from the wider community and civil society, research institutes, mana whenua, officers from the regional and local councils, councillors, academics, public servants from central government agencies, and MPs.
The event featured two main sessions facilitated by Liam Prince (The Rubbish Trip) and Grant Symons (Transition-HQ). Each session included a panel discussion, followed by an open discussion with the audience where we collectively documented the room’s thoughts and reactions. The SymPOOsium was kindly supported by Greater Wellington Regional Council and Clare Foundation.
A full report was written up about the event and is available for reading here.