Concrete company spotted washing equipment in Lake Wakatipu

Council staff headed to the lake on Tuesday morning to investigate. Photo / Supplied

A concrete business which had staff spotted washing machinery in Lake Wakatipu has been given a telling-off by the regional council.

Allied Concrete Queenstown branch manager Shane Tell says some of its drivers had been seen washing discharge shoots on their concrete mixers in the lake at Kingston.

"It's disappointing, and it shouldn't have happened," he says.

The staff involved were spoken to and were going to face disciplinary action, he says.

A meeting was also held on Monday night with staff to ensure it didn't happen again, he says.

Usually the shoots should be washed down at the site, or failing that, taken back to the yard to be washed.

Otago Regional Council environmental services manager Martin King confirms a complaint was made.

Council staff headed to Kingston on Tuesday morning to investigate, but they didn't find any evidence of contamination in the water.

"The company associated with the complaint were spoken to directly and warned about polluting waterways, but no further action will be taken at this time," King says.

"We do want to thank the person who contacted QLDC [Queenstown Lakes District Council] about this issue."