Whitebaiters can breathe easy – the weather saved the day after the Shannon effluent ponds were emptied into the Mangaore Stream last week.

Horizons Regional Council group manager, planning and regulatory, Greg Carlyon said a fresh last week flushed away most of the sewage – which was loaded with used sanitary items and condoms.

“(The effect is) pretty well negligible. It absolutely is good luck that’s for sure.”

Horizons is now frantically investigating the incident, which saw up to 100,000 litres of sewage from the effluent ponds pumped into Stansell’s Drain, which feeds into the Mangaore and on to the Manawatu River.

Mr Carlyon said part of the issue, was that the district council was working under a consent from 1970. That consent had run out in 2001, but it had been temporarily renewed while a new consent was sought.

Horowhenua had continued operating under the temporary consent until July this year, when Horizons said it was no longer acceptable. They are now negotiating a new consent.

Mr Carlyon said there were no more chances, and Horowhenua had been issued with an abatement notice, which instructed them told to “cease and desist” immediately.

Inquiries were being made, including testing the water, and interviewing those involved and locals who witnessed the pumping.

The degree of the consent breach and the damage was not yet known, Mr Carlyon said. “It’s going to take a very solid week to get that kind of information.”

Horowhenua is describing the pumping out of “floatables” into the stream as a “regrettable incident” caused by a failure of the screening process.

Neighbouring farmer Wayne Rider witnessed the effluent being pumped into the drain. He said the screening was laughable as it was nothing more than orange building mesh across the drain.

“That style mesh has holes large enough to allow a tennis ball through.

“They just drove a couple of those in and pumped away for a couple of hours.”

Mr Carlyon said this appeared to be correct, but they needed to find out if there was extra screening before the mesh.

Mr Rider is among residents calling for prosecutions. He said the sight was disgusting, particularly given it wasn’t in the ponds.

“You see everything coming down here. It’s all gone, it’s all gone down the river.

“There was no need to do what they did here.”

Mr Carlyon said a prosecution was highly likely.

Upstream, Palmerston North whitebaiter Alan Lochead was shocked to learn what was going into the river his net was cast in.

“If a similar incident happened again, he would find another spot to scoop the shoals.

“If I saw that happening, then I’d pack my net up. You’ve got to really question it.”

To view the original article click here.

Be Sociable, Share!

•