Presidents Report

Mt Ruapehu Lodge Blackwater Project

Good evening people, as most of will know from my previous updates and my report at the Annual General Meeting, the committee and I have been trying our best to sort out a solution to the black water discharge issue on the mountain before we were in breach of our license and shut down.

As a result we came up with a solution to incinerate the waste using LPG as a fuel. Unfortunately after having spent a considerable sum getting drawings done and submitting them, the rules around gas storage, use and connection changed with the new building code that came in February this year (2012). After investigation we found that this was no longer a viable option, this naturally threw us into more than a bit of a tail spin. We now had to re-design and engineer an alternate solution that meet DOC’s specification, fortunately the supplier of the original gas powered incinerator toilets had another solution on hand for us.

In mid-flight we changed from four single standalone incinerator toilets to a centralised incinerator unit with water driven cistern and pans. This is a far superior solution to that originally proposed and is available in gas and diesel powered versions.

I quickly engaged in conversations with DOC as to practicalities and safety reasons why we had moved away from LPG to diesel. After numerous phone conferences with consultants, DOC staff and people in Wellington, DOC finally agreed to us using diesel on the mountain.

On Friday the 4^th of May I received the approval document from DOC for signing which I signed immediately and sent back. Sunday the 6^th of May I received the signed document back from DOC.

On Saturday the 5^th of May in anticipation, a small group of us meet and planned the strip out and building process that would take place in the coming weeks.

On Monday 7^th a cheque for $43,127.50 was made out for the purchase of the incinerator, controller, toilet pans and flue system. This is all expected to be delivered by the last week of May.

There is approximately another $17 – $20,000 in building materials and trades to install and complete the work.

As a result of discussions with DOC, last Tuesday evening (8/5/2012) I received a letter from DOC, copy attached to the end of this report. In short our operating license has been extended.

What does this mean?

It means we are open for business as normal, as such we are actively searching for a custodian. It also guarantees that we will be opening as usual mid-August or sooner if the snow permits and we have a custodian.

Members please realise that this in no why releases the club from its obligations and I fully intend to keep the pressure on to complete the Black Water project by the end of next month (June) as planned or at the very latest have it ready to go by opening in August.

I would also like to point out that this has come about by an enormous amount of effort by fellow members of this club and staff of the Ruapehu DOC office.

What is planned;

The incinerator will need a space to live in, this means the room directly opposite the hot water cupboard in the north side hall will be removed. The incinerator and a small 60ltr diesel drum will be housed there. Immediately across the hall in the hot water cupboard below the cylinder, a black water holding tank will be installed. The four existing toilet pans and cisterns will be removed, the sewer connection to the septic tank sealed and four very low water use toilet pans installed. They will be connected to the black water holding tank.

The room that holds the incinerator will be sealed, insulated and double lined with 13.5mm fire Gib board. A service door will be installed on the outside wall.

A grease trap will be installed in the old sewer line to the septic tank as the old septic tank will be used for the discharge of Grey Water from the sinks and showers.

Attached below is a copy of the plan to give a better idea of what is happening.

We now have to apply for a building consent to install the incinerator and apply for resource consent to discharge grey water. Both of these processes should be straight forward and in essences have technically been approved subject to DOC’s approval.

This project is going to put a sizable dent in the clubs bank account which at the moment is very healthy. Steve Chaney and his team, Lisa Arthur and Blair Sinclair are working on a charities grant to attempt to recoup some of the costs of the overall project.

Steve Chaney and I will be up on the mountain 12^th and 13^th to prepare the area. Ross Sutherland and Kevin Frost will be going down mid-week later in the month to re-install the two front doors damaged by weather earlier in the year. This will hopefully coincide with the installation of the incinerator unit.

Finally - A lot of effort has gone into keeping the Mt Ruapehu lodge open and getting an extension to our operating license so we can operate while upgrading.

This is for your benefit as a member of the Downhill Ski Club, to that end I have two questions / statements to make.

1. If you can help in some way, paint, plaster, plumbing, cook, carry rubbish off the mountain etc. please put your hand up and let a member of the committee know.

2. Please make use of the lodge, it’s yours and it’s there to be used.

Neil Green

President