A Glenorchy group has put up its hand for a share of a fine the Otago Regional Council will receive from a successful prosecution for a sewage discharge.
Sustainable Glenorchy wrote to the regional council on Thursday asking to be the beneficiary of some of the $37,500 fine imposed on the Queenstown Lakes District Council last month.
The QLDC admitted a charge brought under the Resource Management Act for discharging 43cu m of sewage into the Kawarau River in Frankton 11 months ago.
In his sentencing notes, Environment Court Judge Brian Dwyer said a portion of the fine "might properly be directed" to an environmental project or organisation in the Queenstown area.
Sustainable Glenorchy chairman Bruce Farmer said in his letter the group would use the funds to commission an independent assessment of the "heavily engineered" wastewater systems proposed for the township by the district council.
However, regional council acting chief executive Nick Donnelly said in an emailed statement to the Otago Daily Times its normal practice was to use fines from successful prosecutions to offset its costs.
Using the money for any other purpose would be "a decision for council".
Mr Donnelly said its environmental enhancement fund would soon be relaunched following a review, and he encouraged groups working on community environmental projects to submit applications to that.
Mr Farmer said the wastewater systems proposed for Glenorchy "failed to address many of the key values, visions and aspirations of the community".
Glenorchy’s concerns were shared by other rural communities, and came at a time of greater focus on water quality and wastewater discharge standards.
"We feel Glenorchy could provide a great opportunity to showcase how better outcomes are achieved as we manage our wastewater into the future and as such, the work we would like to see done could be applied throughout the region."
The regional council’s prosecution of the QLDC arose after sewage entered the river through a council stormwater pipe.
Judge Dwyer said a blockage in the wastewater system caused it to overflow and enter the stormwater system.
