ORC and QLDC withhold sewage test results

What's the big secret?

The list of unanswered questions put by Crux to both the Otago Regional Council and Queenstown Lakes District Council now includes how and when the latest water test data will be released to be public.

Local MPJoseph Mooney declared himself satisfied this weekend with information from both councils that water entering the non-functioning Shotover disposal field, and being fed into local rivers, was "treated."

Multiple experts and engineers who have worked at the sewage plant say both the main plant and disposal field are not operating correctly, specifically:

• Solid waste is being fed into the disposal field by the main treatment ponds - this is a failure of the main ponds. The disposal field cannot process or filter solid waste.

• The disposal field has been blocked for at least two years by this solid material, meaning it overflows into local rivers and has contained during previous overflows, according to ORC's own scientists, "extremely high levels of e coli and suspended solids."

The ORC and QLDC's statement that water from the main ponds is treated could mean 0.5 % teated, 10% treated, 50% treated or 80% treated. The disposal field is the final stage of filtering and treatment and even QLDC admitted in June 2024 the field had "failed" and the situation "had been known about for some time."

Wastewater from the disposal field has been flowing into the Kawarau River 24/7 for a number of weeks, possibly longer.

Testing by the ORC investigators was done during the two middle weeks of November but ORC Chief Executive Richard Saunders today refused to release testing details or even a timeline for more public information.

Here's his statement:

"The discharge has been through the treatment process.

"I am happy with the statement Joseph Mooney has made.

"We continue to monitor and discharge including taking samples for testing.

"Nothing further to add on this. We will make a statement if there is anything to share."

The ORC’s CEO Richard Saunders “We will make a statement if there is anything to share."

Crux also asked QLDC today to explain their previous statements that no untreated or partially treated sewage was entering local rivers and sewage was being treated in line with their ORC resource consents.

We also asked the QLDC to explain their previous statement that a "new solution" had been found and started, with funding from the recently approved long-term plan.

The council has replied that they have no further statement to make, refusing to supply details of a "fix", how much it costs and exactly where the money came from.

The ORC has issued two abatement notices and six infringement notices since 2021 relating to non-compliant sewage discharge at the Shotover plant.

Crux has witnessed and traced overflow from the disposal field into the Kawarau River on multiple occasions since mid-November.

Partially treated wastewater (from left) flows into the Kawarau River this Saturday, November 30th.

There's been no sign of a "fix" in progress at the treatment site.

Crux has today made official information requests with the ORC regarding both the non-compliant operation of the Shotover sewage plant and the non-compliant operation of Macraes Mine by Oceana Gold.

In both cases multiple breaches have occurred over an extended number of years but with no clear or effective enforcement action by the ORC.

ORC is legally responsible for compliance and environmental standards enforcement at both sites.