Article written by Scott Williamson – Sector Lead Water and Land
Wastewater management in Aotearoa is entering a period of significant change. With national standards for wastewater discharges expected to tighten in the near future, including greater scrutiny on environmental outcomes and a stronger focus on cultural values, councils are being called to rethink long-standing approaches.
Many current discharge consents won’t meet future expectations. Land-based disposal, higher treatment levels, and the reuse of biosolids are quickly moving from ‘innovative’ to ‘necessary.’ For councils, that means preparing early to be able to explore smarter, staged approaches with more flexibility and fewer surprises.
That’s where we come in.
Over the past few years, we’ve steadily expanded our 3 Waters capability, from stormwater planning and potable water design to wastewater renewals and construction-phase support. More recently, we’ve honed our focus on wastewater treatment and disposal, building deep technical capability in the areas we know will matter most: land application, advanced treatment systems, and the beneficial reuse of biosolids.
We’ve also strengthened our team with the addition of Alana Bowmar Service Leader, Civil and Water Engineering and Arno Louw Senior Civil & Mechanical Engineer.
Alana is a Chartered Professional Engineer based in Wellington with national expertise in land-based wastewater application and biosolids management. She’s led technical assessments and consenting strategies for complex municipal and industrial discharges across Aotearoa, helping clients develop solutions that are not only compliant, but culturally and environmentally aligned.
Arno, based in Tauranga, brings specialist strength in mechanical and hydraulic engineering, including pump station design, transient analysis, SCADA integration, and the commissioning of wastewater treatment plants. His practical understanding of how systems are built, operated, and maintained makes him a valuable link between design vision and real-world delivery.
Our goal isn’t just to add technical depth — it’s to help councils respond to change with confidence. That means:
- Understanding where regulatory expectations are heading
- Identifying cost-effective options early
- Designing staged solutions that balance resilience, affordability, and practical operation
- Engaging meaningfully with mana whenua and communities
- Collaborating with contractors and council staff to deliver the best outcome on the ground.
We know that finding the right path forward can be complex, especially with budget constraints and evolving compliance expectations. As a small, agile team, we aim to be responsive, pragmatic, and easy to work with. We bring national expertise, but always keep local context and relationships front of mind.
If you’re looking to review your wastewater strategy, explore land disposal or biosolids reuse, or want a second opinion on what’s possible — we’d love to hear from you.
Alana Bowmar, Service Lead Water (Wellington) E: alana.bowmar@vitruvius.co,nz
Scott Williamson, Sector Lead and Director E: scott.williamson@vitruvius.co.nz