MEDIA RELEASE
Dairy compliance monitoring shows mixed
results
For immediate release: 18 February 2010
Routine farm dairy effluent compliance monitoring in the eastern and western Bay of Plenty has recorded
mixed results, with some catchments performing very well but continual poor performance in others.
Of the 302 dairy sites visited in late 2009, overall compliance was 93 percent. Nineteen sites (7 percent)
had significant non-compliance at the first visit – the lowest in five years. All sites with significant noncompliance are followed up until the issue is addressed.
Environment Bay of Plenty Regulation Monitoring and Operations Committee Chair Malcolm Whitaker
said dairy farms in the Whakatane/Waimana River catchment had performed very well, with no
significant non-compliance issues observed. Farmers in the Galatea/Waiohau catchment also improved
upon the 2008/09 season with only one site found to have a significant non-compliance issue.
Councillor Whitaker said that while most other catchments had shown compliance rates similar to last
season, the continued poor performance of dairy farms west of the Kaituna River to Waihi Beach,
including those draining into the Tauranga Harbour, was of concern.
“At 83 percent compliance, dairy farms in this area were the only catchment we monitored to perform
below the 90 percent compliance mark. This is very disappointing, especially given the concerns over
land use practices affecting Tauranga Harbour’s water quality and the ongoing initiatives and investment
underway to protect and restore the harbour,” he said.
The latest round of compliance monitoring did not include dairy farms in the Rotorua lakes catchments,
which were audited separately in August and September 2009. There are around 700 dairy farms in the
Bay of Plenty region and a portion of these are monitored each year based on their previous
performance.
Environment Bay of Plenty Group Manager Water Management Eddie Grogan said the regional council
would not hesitate to take enforcement action with sites where significant non-compliance was
identified.
“Unfortunately, the actions of a few operators were downgrading what would otherwise be a very
successful year,” Mr Grogan said.
Environment Bay of Plenty staff inspected all aspects of the effluent treatment and/or disposal systems
during their visits. This included inspecting effluent sumps, pipeworks and ponds, the location of
5 Quay Street, P O Box 364, Whakatane, New Zealand
Telephone: 0800 ENV BOP (368 267)
Email: info@envbop.govt.nz
Pollution Hotline: 0800 73 83 93
Facsimile: 0800 ENV FAX (368 329)
Website: www.envbop.govt.nz
International: +64 7 9223390
2
stormwater diversion systems, irrigation systems and checking for obvious signs of seepage from
effluent ponds into waterways.
DairyNZ, Federated Farmers, Environment Bay of Plenty, Fonterra and AgResearch agreed late last
year to work together to ensure that any serious non-compliance issues on farms are urgently
addressed. The parties agreed to collectively work to find solutions to key areas, including certainty of
investment, effluent storage and irrigation, soil conditions and looking at new research, which may better
inform decision-making.
“The aim of all the parties is to get farmers into a position where they can be certain of 100 percent
compliance in future,” Mr Grogan said.
ENDS.
For further media information please contact Amanda Weatherley, Senior Communications
Advisor, on 0800 ENV AUTO (368 288) ext 8150 or (021) 923 339.
Additional Information:
1. Compliance for Routine Farm Dairy Effluent Compliance Monitoring 2009/10
Minor
Non-compliance
Full compliance
At first visit
Significant noncompliance
Number
%
Number
%
Number
%
249
82%
34
11%
19
7%
NB. This table is for eastern and western Bay of Plenty catchments only – the October 2009 audit results
of the Rotorua catchments are not included.
2. Comparison of Compliance for Routine Farm Dairy Effluent Compliance Monitoring 2009/10
within catchments
Number
inspected
Number
complying at
first visit
Compliance
after first visit
West of
Kaituna River
to Waihi, incl
Tauranga
Harbour
36
Papamoa,
Pongakawa to
Matata
Straights
Rangitaiki
Plains
Galatea/
Waiohau
Whakatane/
Waimana
Ohiwa/East
Cape
84
66
46
18
52
30
81
61
45
18
48
83%
96%
92%
98%
100%
92%
Examples of “Significant non-compliance” include pond levels being less than the minimum freeboard
required resulting in a risk of pond overflow to surface waters, or where a pond was overflowing to land
where there was a risk of continued overflow resulting in effluent reaching surface waters. It also
includes where a storage pond or holding sump is overflowing into a watercourse; where an irrigator is
operating too close to a watercourse where effluent can, or is, entering it; or, where substantial pond
overflow had occurred causing significant ponding on land. These significant non-compliances always
receive a re-visit.