Charges laid over silt discharge

DAMAGE: Silt flowing from Waihi Dam mixed with the Waiau River and nearby tributaries. Photo Peter Scott

Hawke's Bay Regional Council has charged two parties in relation to the silt discharge into the Waihi and Waiau Rivers.

Two parties were charged with four alleged offences arising out of contamination of the Waihi River between December 2015 and February 2016.

Each party will face charges of disturbance of a bed of a lake or river [under Section 13[1][b] of the Resource Management Act] and The discharge of contaminants into water [under section 15[1][a] of the Resource Management Act].

The Waihi dam began discharging silt into the Waiau River before Christmas after a sluice gate was damaged in a storm late last year.

The council issued an abatement notice on Christmas Eve and January 6th requiring the gate to be closed.

Extensive work and the granting of a resource consent was required before the gates could be fully closed in March this year.

A comprehensive investigation has been undertaken looking at all aspects of the incident and its effects on the environment, the community and tangata whenua to get a full and thorough picture of the situation.

The investigation, its findings and recommendations were independently reviewed by Crown Solicitor Meredith Connell before a decision was made to prosecute.

Quite separate from the prosecution, the council is continuing to work with the Eastland Group to refine and adapt its current resource consent and the operation of the Waihi Dam itself to ensure it meets current day best practice.

The council is not in a position to make any further comment as the matter is now before the Court.