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City Council asked to sort it out
MEDIA RELEASE
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
City Council asked to sort it out
Palmerston North City Council has been issued a significant non compliance and abatement notice giving them until 30 November 2011 to comply with their consent to discharge to the Manawatu River.
Horizons has found the city council to be in breach of a condition in their consent which spells out there should be no significant adverse effects on the aquatic life in the river.
Compliance manager Alison Russell said that the issue in question had been brought to light following a benthic biota survey which looks at the river's insect life up and down stream of the city's discharge.
"There is a significant reduction in the type of insects in the water downstream of the discharge compared with upstream. This is a sign that water quality has declined to a point that it doesn't support the same amount of aquatic life as further upstream in a short stretch of the river."
Horizons Regional councilors heard from Horizons officers about the issue at their strategy and policy meeting today.
Councillors agreed to establish a joint working party between the two council's governance teams to oversee the management and resolution of the issue.
"This matter is of concern to all involved and we need it to be put right for the sake of our river," said Horizons Chairman Bruce Gordon.
"We are focused on achieving this outcome for the community. There is a high degree of public interest in this matter and it's important that it is addressed as a matter of urgency.
"The city council have always dealt with any issues relating to their consent swiftly and I'm confident they will work to resolving this issue as quickly as possible."
Ms Russell acknowledged the efforts PNCC has put into addressing its non compliances in the past.
"Palmerston North has made a considerable investment to upgrade their waste water treatment plant since 2003. There have been issues from time to time but these have been reported to us and acted upon quickly. This current matter is about the effect the discharge is having on the river's ecosystem."
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