Mobile phones, keys, tennis balls, wallets, toys, a boomerang, even a set of false teeth – you name it and it’s likely to have turned up at Palmerston North’s wastewater treatment plant. In the image above are just some of the items that have washed up at the Tōtara Road Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Mike Monaghan, Palmerston North City Council Water Operations Manager, says “We always have a bit of a chuckle when people call and ask if we’ve seen their keys, mobile phones or other random objects. Over the years we’ve built up quite a collection of objects, and visitors always find this one of the most interesting things to see when they visit the plant. People’s mouths literally drop open when they see some of the larger objects, such as bricks and rocks that have passed through here.”

Accord member Palmerston North City Council is holding a public open day at the Tōtara Road Wastewater Treatment Plant on Saturday 3 November. Guided tours around the plant will run between 10am and 4pm. An information tent will allow the community to speak with the team about the city’s future wastewater options. There are limited numbers for the tours and bookings are required. If you are interested in attending visit the Palmerston North City Council website.

The public open day coincides with the launching of Nature Calls – the city’s largest capital investment project. As part of this project, Palmerston North City Council is encouraging people to consider what wastewater is, how it’s currently managed, and how future options are being investigated. Palmerston North City Council’s vision for Nature Calls is to identify an option that will enable growth, protect and enhance the environment, and contribute to improving the health and mauri of the Manawatū River.  If you want to learn more and stay in the loop as the project develops visit the Nature Calls project page on the Palmerston North City Council website. If you have a specific question you can also get in touch by emailing naturecalls@pncc.govt.nz.