Gasworks studies ongoing | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

CONTAMINATION studies at the old Masterton gasworks site are ongoing with investigations involving Masterton District Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council and the Ministry of the Environment being done.

Regional council land scientist Bruce Crouch said today the old gasworks site was well known as being contaminated and the studies were to determine the "extent and nature" of the problem.

This was necessary before the owners of the land, Masterton District Council, could utilise the abandoned land, probably for future commercial purposes.

The district council has no plans to use the land for housing.

Problems over what to do with the gasworks land arose soon after closure of the coke-fuelled works about 40 years ago.

It had been supplying gas to Masterton for 90 years and after closure no extensive site clean-up was done.

As a result the block has largely remained idle ever since although parts of it have been used.

Late last year Fulton Hogan workers at the adjacent Bentley Street depot complained of nausea and sickness.

Recognising that the depot was on the site of the old gasworks, the firm arranged for workers to have blood tests taken but these failed to turn up any significant problems that could be linked to the industrial history of the land.

Fulton Hogan no longer has district council contracts and has shifted from the council-owned depot to a site in Ngaumutawa Road.

It is suspected hundreds of Wellington residents could be living on contaminated properties but they may have to wait up to two years to find out if they are.

The regional council has a contaminated sites budget and a list of around 50 industries to investigate.

Mr Crouch said only five industries have so far been investigated, revealing 1600 potential sites.