National effluent pond guidelines to make for sounder construction
Posted on Friday, 7 October 2011 09:39 a.m.
Proposed changes to effluent storage pond construction rules are expected to inject greater consistency into their design and how they are built, Environment Southland Technical Services Engineer Colin Young says.
The final touches are being put on a new, New Zealand-wide standard for pond design and construction best practice via DairyNZ and by drawing on expertise from the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ). Mr Young said the standards would modify pond construction methods by establishing specific instructions for who should be doing what, and when. He equated it to a building code for agricultural effluent ponds.
In its second draft, thePractice Note for Effluent Pond Constructionis expected to be finalised by the end of this month. Mr Young said the standards essentially tracked the entire process of pond construction but also comprised a full appraisal of an effluent treatment system. There were several aspects that needed consideration during the design and construction phases and he believed the guidelines meant elements including a pond size, type of application and location must be incorporated. “In the past, some arrangements to build a pond have been done with a handshake and let’s dig a hole tomorrow mentality – the new guidelines will change that.”
Council Compliance Manager Mark Hunter said the fact the industry had got together to draw up a set of national standards was fantastic news. “With IPENZ input and approval it raises the game when it comes to pond security.” There were a number of ponds in Southland with questionable construction and the new standard should put an end to the “open slather” and “corner-cutting” that has happened in some cases, Mr Hunter said.
“For the Council we just need to know the pond has been constructed properly; what properly means is something the industry needs to decide.” However Mr Hunter also said input from the dairy industry has been a long time coming, with the only other rules around pond construction devised by Environment Southland in 2009 – the first in New Zealand.
Consents Manager John Engel said once the standards were formally released they would go to Council for adoption. If approved, Council would also have to decide the appropriate qualifications a contractor would need to carry out the work, he said.
Mr Young said if adopted by the Council the policy would be incorporated in the Regional Water Plan via an amendment, superseding the agricultural effluent policy, implemented in 2009. It was important to keep upgrading standards in response to the industry’s growth and remain in tune with any changes, he said. Additional investment might be required to build a pond under the guidelines but a consent holder could have greater confidence in the end result.
However where farms already comply with best practice, introduction to the new guidelines would go largely unnoticed, Mr Young said.
Environment Southland is the brand name of Southland Regional Council.