Commissioner looking into claims of dithering over pollution issue

By JO-MARIE BROWN

Claims that authorities are dithering over how to save Lake Rotoiti from another toxic algal bloom have prompted an investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.

Dr Morgan Williams said yesterday he would evaluate the measures the Rotorua District Council and Environment Bay Plenty were taking to restore Lake Rotoiti's water quality. An algal bloom which hit the lake last summer prompted health warnings to people not to swim in or drink the lake water.

High levels of nitrogen and phosphorus entering the lake from septic tanks, stormwater, fertilisers and animal effluent caused the algal growth and the councils are now working to limit such inflows.

But National MP Nick Smith wrote to Dr Williams last Thursday asking him to intervene, saying the councils and the Ministry for the Environment were not acting quickly enough to avert an "environmental disaster".

"The frustration ... is that there is no urgency being given to addressing the underlying causes of the pollution, nor any clear leadership in cleaning up the lake," the letter said.

Dr Williams said his office had been following the issue.

"What we try and do is ask, 'How can we actually move this forward', away from blaming someone else because they haven't done something and so on," he said. "Our feeling is that [Environment Bay Plenty] has been putting quite a lot of effort in, but we haven't got the full picture and that's why we might be able to add value."

Lakes Water Quality Society chairman Ian McLean said he welcomed Dr Williams' decision.

"Our concern is the lack of urgency ... not what they're doing but the speed at which it's being done."

An action plan to reduce nutrient flows into Lake Rotoiti was not due to begin until next year and 900m of shoreline had yet to be fenced off from cattle.

Plans are under way to install a $3 million sewerage scheme, improve Rotorua's sewage-treatment plant, create more wetlands and retire stream banks.

The councils and the local iwi have also set up a co-ordination committee.