The success of proposed water regulations for Otago will depend on whatever monitoring takes place, Catlins environmentalist Jane Young says.
She spoke to panellists at the sixth day of the Otago Regional Council's water regulations hearing, in Balclutha, yesterday.
Mrs Young said the proposed changes were too effects-based and there was a danger water pollution would not be detected until after damage occurred.
"There is concern about the problems of monitoring, and it's not going to work if there is not adequate monitoring.
There is always the temptation for people to over-exploit resources, such as water, that are held in common," she said.
Mrs Young said while most farmers did not take kindly to being told what to do on their land, the majority had a strong interest in caring for their properties.
But not all farmers were qualified to monitor water quality or only did so annually, and more frequent independent testing was preferred, she said.
Foreign ownership of farms posed further concern, as those outside New Zealand were less likely to care about preserving water and land quality, she said.
