Effluent survey raises little stink
Two dairy farms in Tasman district were found to have serious breaches in their effluent management in 2016-17, deputy mayor Tim King says.
‘‘In both cases, breaches were able to be rectified before any major incidents occurred,’’ said King, who is also the Tasman District Council environment and planning committee chairman.
The four breaches in total from the two farms were picked up during the 2016-17 dairy effluent survey of 139 farms, for which 130 farms, or 93 per cent, were found to be compliant.
King hailed the overall results. He said that the continuing focus on good environmental stewardship between the council and the dairy industry was ‘‘definitely paying off’’.
In a report, TDC compliance and investigation officer Kat Bunting outlines the four ‘‘significantly non-compliant’’ issues identified in the survey. They were:
Major ponding present after more than one hour since effluent had been applied to land on two farms. One case involved a drag hose pulling apart at a join. This meant effluent was discharged directly to land through the hose end and not the irrigator. The result was the over application of effluent in one location causing ponding over about 10 square metres that was at least 5-10cm deep. The second case involved the failure at the termination of a mainline that carries effluent from the storage facility to the disposal field. This was a temporary fix undertaken a few years prior; a permanent fix was never completed. The subsequent failure gave rise to a large volume of effluent being discharged to land from the hose end. The ponding that resulted flowed over land and also entered surface water; this was a secondary offence.
A serious lack of contingency storage or back-up plan to avoid discharge to water on one farm. In this case, the new storage pond was lapping at the brim and a heavy rain warning was in place. If the pond overflowed, the flow would have entered a waterway.
Failing to ensure effluent storage facilities were sealed on one farm. This case involved a stormwater division system allowing an intermittent discharge containing contaminants – wash down from the yard – to enter a farm drain that flowed to a stream.
Inspections on five farms found other issues that were ‘‘noncompliant’’.
Those included minor ponding, failing to adhere to setback rules for effluent application and failing to take and submit sampling results by the due date specified in a consent condition.
Full compliance ‘‘has continued to improve from season to season up until 2014-15 when it reached a very high standard’’, Bunting says in her report.
‘‘Since this time, it is pleasing to report that Tasman farmers continue to maintain this high level of compliance and that the 2016-17 [season] ... was keeping this positive trend.’’
King said positive change in the industry was reflected in the success of the Farm Dairy Effluent Accreditation Scheme, which ‘‘has seen the majority of farmers involved installing compliant systems or well on their way to doing so’’.
‘‘Of particular note is the success of the emphasis on system performance and the need to provide contingencies in case of wet weather.’’
While it made a ‘‘significant economic contribution’’, it was important the industry ‘‘takes responsible steps to ensuring they have a positive and sustainable relationship with the environment’’, he said.
Farm surveys for the 2017-18 season are due to commence in September.