A $208,000 upgrade is planned for toilet blocks at Lake Heron by Ashburton District Council which will see three flush toilets and a urinal, upgraded to two unisex dry vault toilets.
But long time users of the area, Brenda and Murray Beach of Ashburton, said the replacements were not enough for the popular site.
Brenda said over the summer holidays at least 31 caravans were on site, but then there was a steady stream of casual campers, tourist day trippers, the occasional mini van and buses.
‘‘The facilities are over worked during the summer and to us it seems ridiculous to take that away and supply only two toilets,’’ Brenda said.
The couple would like to see the toilets ‘‘upgraded to more and better facilities’’.
District council group manager community and open spaces Toni Durham said the current septic tank system and long drop were causing problems for the surrounding waterways and Lake Heron.
‘‘Dry-vault toilets avoid these issues because they don’t produce wastewater.’’ she said.
‘‘They’re a more environmentally friendly option, and we’ve seen them work well in other high-country and foothill locations like Bowyers Stream, Taylors Stream, Awa Awa Rata Reserve, and Lake Camp.
Plans included the removal of the old toilet block, which had separate men’s and women’s toilets and a long drop.
‘‘These will be replaced with a brand-new block that has two unisex toilets,’’ she said.
‘‘They’ll be open all year round. The new toilets are dryvault systems, which don’t need a sewer connection and are much lower maintenance.’’
She said council agreed to fund the project in the 2024–34 Long Term Plan.
‘‘The cost is $208,000, which covers removing the old toilets and three septic tanks as well as installing the new facilities.’’
She said although there were fewer actual toilet units on this site, the overall toilet capacity for the Lake Heron area was increasing; the new toilets would be open all year round, not just seasonally, and unisex toilets allow more flexibility and efficiency compared with gendered ones.
‘‘The Department of Conservation has also added new toilets at the southern end of the lake since council last built facilities there.
She said the new toilet block has already been built offsite and was just waiting to be delivered.
Work was expected to be completed by the end of May.
