Forty dairy farms risk water pollution charges

Nathan Crombie | 14th August 2008

Court charges are likely against 40 Wairarapa dairy farms that risk polluting waterways in the region.

Al Cross, Greater Wellington Regional Council environmental regulation manager, said court charges "looks increasingly likely" after an audit of dairying shows too many farmers are not complying with some or all of their consent conditions.

He said 136 Wairarapa farms were included in a 146 farm regional audit completed in summer and autumn.

All the non-compliant farms 30 per cent were located in Wairarapa, he said, with a further 21 per cent mostly compliant and 49 per cent were fully compliant. The maximum penalty for infringement is $750, Mr Cross said.

He said the audit sparked 38 advisory notices with many asking farmers to correct the non-compliance of their dairy effluent systems, 13 letters seeking an explanation and seven infringements.

Mr Cross said the non-compliance ranged from leaks in farm effluent management systems to major ponding of effluent, which could lead to run-off contaminating waterways or groundwater or both.

"This audit was only a small snapshot across the region and indicates a bigger problem. We haven't seen any decrease in the level of non-compliance and that is a major concern."

Mr Cross said farmers who breached their conditions would face consequences that could include prosecution, particularly for repeat or serious offences.

Greater Wellington Regional Council chairwoman Fran Wilde said the council is committed to the goals of the Clean Streams Accord, to achieve clean, healthy water in dairying areas.

"Dairying in the region has intensified over the past decade and we are starting to see its impact on water quality in our streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands. No one denies its importance to our economy but we want to ensure that dairying is both economically successful and environmentally responsible," Ms Wilde said.

"Greater Wellington is committed to the goals of the Clean Streams Accord, to achieve clean, healthy water in dairying areas.

"A significant part of our commitment is to check progress against the third target of the accord that is ensuring all farm dairy effluent discharges comply with resource consents and regional plans," she said.

"Some farmers are doing good work to reduce dairying's impact on the environment fencing rivers and streams, planting stream sides to retain nutrients and provide for biodiversity, providing winter pads for cows with effluent collection and nutrient budgeting," Ms Wilde said.

"I congratulate these farmers on their commitment to the environment. However, the level of non-compliance shows that others are still not getting the message that dairy waste must be properly managed."

Ms Wilde said Greater Wellington Regional Council and Fonterra are holding workshops with farmers to look at best practice in farm effluent management with the first set for November in Wairarapa.

"With a solid understanding of consent conditions and best practice effluent management systems, the problems we are seeing can be avoided, " she said.