Prosecutions of dairy farmers for effluent pollution in Otago have halved in the past milking season but overall compliance has dropped.
A summary of dairy farm inspections for the 2012-13 season shows of the 413 dairy farms in Otago, 91.5% were compliant with the Otago Regional Council's permitted activity rules, compared with 94.4% the previous season.
In the past season, 16 farms were identified as having incidents with significant potential adverse environmental effects. The council prosecuted in five instances and issued 12 infringement notices.
Ten prosecutions were taken the previous season and seven infringement fines issued.
A report to the council's regulatory committee said the drop in prosecutions was the result of a greater awareness of the council's enforcement regime after the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons when 46 dairy farms were prosecuted.
''While the council policy of enforcing gross and wilful discharges continues, staff have also worked with a number of farm owners on minor and accidental issues.''
Many farms had also upgraded their effluent management infrastructure.
While compliance levels were slightly down on the previous season, staff found landowners were aware of their obligations and the need for monitoring.
The Clutha district and Central Otago had the highest levels of significant non-compliance at 5.5% and 6% respectively, while the Queenstown Lakes District's two dairy farms had 100% compliance.
Only 57% of dairy farms in the Waitaki district had the recommended 20 days' effluent storage and only 19% of Central Otago's 16 farms had a fail-safe fitted to their irrigator.
Council regional services director Jeff Donaldson said inspections were now more random and ''at risk'' properties were revisited.
A further 44 inspections were carried out in April and May in South Otago focusing on properties with fewer than 20 days' storage and where there had been non-compliance earlier.
