When it comes to Central Otago stock truck effluent disposal there is good news and bad.
On the positive side, the Otago Regional Council's stock truck effluent disposal site at Raes Junction has been upgraded, doubling its capacity, by the installation of a 13,500-litre underground tank.
But effluent has continued to be spilled on the highway in some areas, including on parts of State Highway 8 between Raes Junction and Alexandra.
A council report noted the Raes Junction facility expansion work was completed in time for Gypsy Week early this month.
Cr Trevor Kempton and other members of the council's finance and corporate committee commented positively on information about the upgrade, in recent report to the ORC.
Committee deputy chairman Cr Gary Kelliher, who lives near Alexandra, acknowledged the improvement but said stock effluent spilled on roads was a continuing challenge.
In recent wet weather that effluent would be washed into nearby waterways, affecting water quality, he said.
ORC environmental monitoring and operations director Jeff Donaldson said that efforts were being made by several organisations, including Environment Southland, which had provided an effluent disposal site in northern Southland.
The ORC had provided five other Otago disposal sites, he said.
The Road Transport Association and Federated Farmers had promoted positive messages about the need to avoid effluent run-off on to roads, including suggesting standing stock off pasture before transfer.
Some improvements in behaviour had been made but it was disappointing effluent was still spilled, including between Raes Junction and Alexandra and at Blacks Hill, between Alexandra and the Ida Valley.
Some trucks arriving at a disposal site, such as at Raes Junction, had been driven on if there had been a queue of waiting trucks.
He urged drivers to wait and empty their effluent tanks to ensure effluent did not overflow on to the highway.
