It’s not that long ago that the small Southland towns Edendale and Wyndham had many septic tanks that had passed their use by date. In severe cases these tanks would discharge raw sewage into stormwater drains that ran straight into the Mataura River.

Now they have a clever and innovative way of cleaning up with a new sewage plant on the Edendale-Wyndham road where millions of worms quietly work their way through human waste, breaking it down and then putting clean, treated water back into the river.

Project manager Bevan McKenzie takes us on a tour.

About the Author

Gareth Morgan

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Gareth Morgan is a New Zealand economist and commentator on public policy who in previous lives has been in business as an economic consultant, funds manager, and professional company director. He is also a motorcycle adventurer and philanthropist. Gareth and his wife Joanne have a charitable foundation, the Morgan Foundation, which has three main stands of philanthropic endeavour – public interest research, conservation and social investment.