ORC’s Compliance Manager Carlo Bell says ORC was notified by QLDC of an issue at the site relating to their discharges.

Staff have been kept up to date by QLDC on steps that they are taking in response to this. A staff member is attending the site this afternoon [19th] to check compliance.

ORC are continuing to investigate issues on site and as these are active investigations no further comment can be provided at this time. Any compliance action, if needed will be taken in line with Council’s Compliance and Enforcement Policy.

“ORC takes its role as regulator seriously and has been actively monitoring compliance with the consents. Compliance action has been taken to date and investigations are ongoing,” Mr Bell says.

(Please refer any questions on day-to-day operation of the plant to QLDC).

A QLDC spokesperson says Council has been in regular contact with ORC about some ongoing challenges at Shotover Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP).

These are exacerbated during and after periods of heavy rainfall like we have seen in recent months.

No untreated or partially treated effluent has been or is being released from the WWTP during this time.

ORC is currently investigating on-site and hence it isn’t appropriate to provide further comment until that investigation is complete, other than to confirm that QLDC has allocated substantial investment in the early part of its current Long-Term Plan to develop and implement a new effluent disposal strategy.

We’ll continue to update the community regarding progress at the current facility and this future strategy.

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