A confidential Queenstown-Lakes District Council plan to discharge treated sewage into the Shotover River by enacting "emergency powers" under the Resource Management Act has been revealed by a councillor. Photo: Unsplash / Bulb Creative
- A Queenstown councillor has revealed a confidential plan of the council to discharge treated sewage into the Shotover River
- Elected members were briefed on the plan behind closed doors last week during talks on its response to "issues with the performance of the disposal field" at the Shotover Wastewater Treatment Plant
- The council says details of the workshop excluded the public due to "ongoing legal proceedings" with the Otago Regional Council
- Queenstown-Whakatipu ward councillor Niki Gladding has accused the council of underhand tactics over the move
A Queenstown councillor is accusing her council of "secrecy" and underhand tactics over its plan of enacting emergency powers to divert treated sewage into the Shotover River.
Elected members were briefed behind closed doors last Thursday with council staff revealing it would dump more than 12,000 cubic metres of effluent into the river daily from this week.
The Queenstown-Lakes District Council said it was planning to update the public in the coming days, but confirmed the emergency discharges were yet to begin.
A spokesperson said the council would not be commenting until then.
Following the workshop, the council said discussions were in response to the performance of the disposal field at the Shotover Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The Otago Regional Council filed an application to the Environment Court in January to seek an Enforcement Order against the district council around "aspects" of the plant's operations.
There are provisions under Section 330 of the Resource Management Act that enables authorities to use emergency powers, overriding the need for a resource consent.
Councillor Niki Gladding said they were told the discharges would happen within "three to seven days" of last Thursday's briefing.
She called on the council to rethink a plan that put them at "significant risk" of prosecution.
"We pass on those powers to our chief executive to use very carefully and we expect the council to not be put at risk.
"But I think this does just that."
The council referenced three emergencies, including an aviation risk due to an increase of birds at the treatment plant's ponds, alongside an "amenity emergency and health emergency".
"My instant reaction was that this was a bit opportunistic," Gladding said.
"All of a sudden we have an emergency at a time when we've just finished mediation.
"It feels like a very convenient way to make some of those issues go away."
Last week, the council's property and infrastructure general manager Tony Avery said the treatment of wastewater at the plant remained effective.
Queenstown Lakes District Council infrastructure general manager Tony Avery. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
"Shotover WWTP continues to produce highly treated water at the end of multiple processes which are all working well," he said.
The council said "bird strike" was an issue that Queenstown Airport managed in its day-to-day operation, like other airports around the world.
But Gladding said using a potential bird strike problem to privately deal with ongoing consent issues was "not right".
"The fact they're not telling anybody makes it very difficult for anyone to oppose it," she said.
"Iwi are struggling because they haven't been given the information that they've been promised and that they need to take their next steps.
"It all feels pretty strategic and very underhand."
She said it felt like the dischargers were not a temporary solution and that it could be indefinite.
"My understanding is that the treated effluent will be discharged into the river for the next five years, or until we have another long-term discharge solution.
"There may not be any another practical land discharge solution."
Hokonui Rūnanga spokesperson Darren Rewi said the situation required urgent attention.
"Hokonui Rūnanga will discuss this underhand action as opposed to a solution with both Te Ao Marama and Aukaha on Monday."
The regional council's chief executive Richard Saunders said it had not been informed by district council about the potential use of emergency powers.
"The Resource Management Act includes provisions for emergency works and we would expect QLDC to ensure that any action taken is consistent with the Act."
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