Farming company fined for effluent discharge

A Rangiora company, Cresslands Farms Ltd, has been fined $7000 after pleading guilty to discharging dairy shed effluent onto land which may have entered water. The case was heard in the Christchurch District Court on September 1, 2010.

Environment Canterbury brought the charge against the company after an inspection of the farm found that effluent irrigated onto saturated ground had entered a nearby depression before entering a drain. Water samples taken from the drain confirmed the presence of contaminants. Environment Canterbury’s concern was the effect on groundwater and surface water quality caused by such contaminants leaching through the soil.

Although the farm’s management plan identifies the risks of irrigating after rainfall, the managing director admitted that in this case, he had failed to consider the ground conditions and had not realised the paddock was as wet as it was. His action breached sections 15(1)(b) and 338 of the Resource Management Act.     

Judge Borthwick said that the company’s action was an error of judgement and careless. She said that the defendant is progressive in its farming operation and operated an effluent disposal system providing for alternative means of disposal when storage ponds are not available or irrigation not possible. The Judge noted the defendant’s involvement in an educational programme with a local school and its offer to co-ordinate a public seminar highlighting effluent disposal issues in the Waikuku area. The company’s involvement in the Waikuku Water Management Group was also taken into consideration.

Judge Borthwick gave credit for the guilty plea and imposed a fine of $7000. The defendant to pay court costs of $130. Ninety per cent of the fine was paid to the regional council.

“The company was fined for its action but it also has the opportunity to work with the wider community and Environment Canterbury to raise awareness and ensure such incidents do not occur in the future,” said Kim Drummond, Environment Canterbury director regulation.

“The defendant’s willingness to participate in the educational programme and public seminar is important to increasing public and industry awareness of dairy effluent issues and the environmental damage that is caused when disposal is not undertaken properly.”