Ōmokaroa Geothermal Take and Discharge

Ōmokoroa Country Estate (OCE), a Bay of Plenty retirement village, faced expiring resource consents for their geothermal bore. Partnering with WGA for technical support in the renewal process, consents were sought to authorise OCE to extract water for use in a swimming pool and discharge it responsibly during regular maintenance cycles, ensuring continued enjoyment for residents.

WGA assessed the potential effects of groundwater abstraction from a geothermal bore and undertook an assessment of potential saltwater intrusion from the nearby coastline. The team collected a sample of the swimming pool discharge for laboratory testing and compared it to relevant water quality guidelines.

Following submission and peer review of the technical assessment report, the client was granted resource consents from the regulator to continue to take and discharge geothermal water and thereby operate the geothermal baths.