Titahi Bay.
Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller
Wellington Water, on behalf of the Porirua City Council, put in its application for the resource consent in May, after their last one expired.
The application asks for consent to discharge fully treated and disinfected wastewater into the sea, as well as for the intermittent discharge of partially treated wastewater . [which] occur when heavy rain significantly increases the volume of wastewater in the system, beyond the capacity of the treatment plant.
If consent was granted, it would be applicable for 20 years.
But the entire application has been described as a licence to pollute by one group in Titahi Bay, where the treatment plant is located.