QLDC admits issues with high profile "clean" sewage tests
But it was "not a compliance sample as required under resource consent."
The Queenstown Lakes District council says a highly publicised “clean” effluent sample on the first day of their emergency discharge into the Shotover River did not align with best practice and may not have been “representative of normal operations.”
In a statement to Crux, QLDC’s Infrastructure Operations Manager Simon Mason addressed concerns over the potential exclusion of lower quality oxidation pond effluent from the “clean” result that was at the centre of a national media release and celebratory comments from both mayor Glyn Lewers and local MP Joseph Mooney.
“On occasion samples may represent only the flow from the MLE/clarifier should sampling occur when the pond pump station is not in operation. Ideally this isn’t the case, as whilst it is representative of the discharge at that point in time, it isn’t as representative of ‘normal’ operation.”
Mr Mason also addressed the missing day between the time the sample was taken and the time it reached the testing lab in Invercargill.
“We acknowledge this is close to the maximum allowable timing between sampling and analysis being commenced, and we have spoken to the team to encourage samples being taken later in the day to avoid this risk. Please note that this was not a compliance sample as required under the consent.”
Mr Mason’s full comments are included in the continuation of this article.