Fears have emerged the Otago Regional Council might force wastewater treatment plants to discharge treated wastewater on to land in its forthcoming land and water plan as its expected notification date — October 31 — approaches.
The council said discharge to land was only "a preference", but on Friday, Mr Cadogan said his council "remains concerned" about the potential costs.
Federated Farmers called the council secretive about its planning and said the council was "caught with their pants down" when it came to answering its questions about the costs that would arise when the plan was implemented.
"Instead of being straight-up and honest with our community, the council are dancing on the head of a pin and hiding behind vague bureaucratic language," Federated Farmers Otago president Luke Kane said.
The reaction from councillors was mixed.
One councillor said the farmer advocacy group’s "childishness" was getting in the way of constructive conversations.
Another said the group’s criticism was "bang on".
Mr Cadogan outed his council as the provider of so-called "confidential information" used in the Federated Farmers criticism.
Mr Cadogan said he was informed those two towns were Alexandra and Clyde — but the information was not confidential.
The two towns used the same wastewater treatment plant which discharged treated wastewater into the Clutha River (Mata-Au) just downstream from Alexandra.
The amount was refined to $103m at a public meeting late last year, but he and other councillors had been "very open and public" about their concerns around the cost of discharging treated wastewater to land.
"CODC [Central Otago District Council] remains concerned that, should the land and water regional plan create a total ban on water-based disposal of treated wastewater, the costs will be of such a scale as to make the requirements put on us and other local authorities, and their ratepayers, totally impossible," Mr Cadogan said.
Cr Robertson said the plan "has a preference for land disposal for new plants but the door is not closed for good quality discharges to water to be considered".
The council listened to the feedback received through community engagement and formal pre-notification consultation and had changed the draft plan to reflect it, she said.
The present draft included changes such as those that concerned stakeholders Beef + Lamb as well — taking account of existing riparian fencing, reducing livestock setbacks from water bodies from 10m to 5m, and removing the requirement for sheep to be excluded from water bodies.
"We always aim to be open and transparent in our communication," Cr Robertson said.
"Once the plan is notified, every person can choose to submit and have their views heard."
Cr Tim Mepham said it was "in the interests" of Federated Farmers, Beef + Lamb and others that the plan was notified in October.
"Once it is notified, everyone gets to see it and respond with fact-based questions, including costs," he said.
Cr Elliot Weir said the plan had been misunderstood.
"We are trying to engage in good faith with Federated Farmers to clear up their misunderstandings as to the contents of the plan, but the childishness and flippancy with the truth in their statements thus far is frustrating as it is making constructive conversations about the plan that much more difficult," Cr Weir said.
Cr Alexa Forbes rejected accusations of disingenuity and being secretive.
"From my perspective, Federated Farmers are trying to galvanise all of society to accept worse water and easier to reach conditions.
"This is not OK by me and shouldn’t be OK by anyone."
He said the treatment and discharge of wastewater, whether to land or direct to water — "to Taumata Arowai standards" — was the main driver of costs.
On the other hand, Cr Andrew Noone said councillors needed to take heed of Federated Farmers’ concerns.
"These are not imaginary and require genuine answers."
Cr Michael Laws said there was a group of seven "Green/Left" councillors who wanted to progress the plan "for ideological and political purposes as much as environmental objectives".
"Staff and seven councillors have been ignorant of the implications of their plan and just determined to get it notified at all cost."
Cr Kate Wilson said the council should have acknowledged there had been a rule about wastewater discharge and advised that it changed it.
The "rushed process" voted for by seven councillors had led to several failures, she said.
Those failures included "failing to understand the costs and benefits of the proposals before we put options out to the community".
She said "in hindsight" previous consultation should have been repeated after the council received a decision on its regional policy statement, which required significant changes to the plan.
Cr Kevin Malcolm said Federated Farmers needed to be thanked "for alerting us to their anxiety and concerns".
"We were told by government to pause until new policy directions are confirmed.
"To move now is a reckless disregard to the cost to our ratepayers.
"It’s a nonsense."
