Concerns about septic tank discharges degrading groundwater quality in and near Clyde have prompted calls to build a town sewerage scheme ''sooner rather than later''.
The Vincent Community Board discussed the issue at its meeting yesterday and resolved to set aside funding in its long-term plan to investigate wastewater management options for the town.
The Central Otago District Council's development engineer Peter Morton said monitoring of water bores in the town since 2005 and analysis of those results gave a clear indication groundwater quality near Clyde was probably being degraded by septic tank discharges.
Board member Tim Cadogan said the Government could say any town with population over 500 had to have a reticulated sewerage scheme: ''Realistically, it's going to happen. We're in the 21st century''.
Statistics New Zealand 2006 census figures said there were 408 houses in the town and its population was 921. Groundwater quality was likely to degrade further as the town's population increased, board members said.
Martin McPherson said as a member of the council's hearing panel, he knew that Public Health South and Ngai Tahu made ''negative submissions'' about developments involving proposed use of septic tanks.
The board would eventually be forced to introduce a scheme so it should look at the issue ''sooner rather than later'', as it was not going to get any cheaper, Mr McPherson said.
Barrie Wills and Graeme Bell agreed and said the board should begin planning now.
Council water services manager Russell Bond said several Clyde businesses found it difficult to find a wastewater treatment solution which met Otago Regional Council requirements. Some of the solutions were also quite expensive, he said.
Nitrate levels recorded at all monitoring bores were below the New Zealand drinking water standards limit but could approach the limit in some places, the board heard.
There were no known drinking water supply bores within the town and it was unlikely bores would be a suitable source of potable water under the current regime.
