7.0 Regional Council policy, practice, and experience regarding the use of DSW two-pond systems
7.1 Policy
The four Regional Councils surveyed for this report all indicated that land application of DSW will be encouraged by making it a "permitted activity" in the Regional Plan, subject to conditions. It is recognised that "user guidelines" need to be developed and the concept promoted. Ponding, either to provide buffer storage or to provide some amount of treatment before application or both, is generally considered necessary and desirable for land application Systems.
Until recently the disposal of DSW by discharge to surface water after a two-pond system (or barrier ditch system) generally could he undertaken "as of right" under a "General Authorisation" or more recently as a "permitted activity" under Transitional Regional Plan. In the regions of extensive dairy farming, resource consents will be required For new two-pond system discharges which will be "controlled activities" or "discretionary activities" governed by regional rules in Regional Plans. This upgrading from permitted activity status reflects increasing concern by the Councils that DSW discharge should be treated more seriously
It is intended that "implementation programmes" will be developed in co-operation with the farming industry and technology developers to bring about an overall reduction of two-pond system discharges, which will be replaced by land application or by treatment systems providing better treatment as will be determined to be appropriate for any individual discharge.
Regional Councils are directing resources to aid the investigation and development of technologies to supplement two-pond systems in a portfolio of practical technology for DSW management. The notable examples at this stage are the wetlands trials supported by the Waikato Regional Council and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.
Input from the farming industry is actively sought by Councils in developing implementation programmes for raising the standard of DSW management. But there are concerns here.
The First concern is that farmers do not want to spend money on DSW management and then be asked to spend money again later. They want clear statements of what is required now and they do not want to be confronted with new requirements and expenditure again in ten years time.
The second concern is that without the first concern above being adequately addressed, there are limits to what many farmers are comfortably willing to spend on DSW management: $7,000 to $10,000 for a treatment system for disposal; possibly up to $15,000 for a land application system from which a Fertility benefit is returned.
The third farmers' concern is with the Best Practical Option approach. For treatment Systems to qualify for this status, many farmers feel that in addition to being within the cost limits suggested above, systems should be technically simple and have very low operation and maintenance requirements. There is a reluctance to move away from passive-technology systems.
The fourth concern is related to the other three, in that for some dairy farmers, if requirements for DSW management go too far beyond what they consider acceptable (the three concerns above), then the economic sustainability of their dairy- farming maybe threatened,
For progress to be made in implementing a broader range of appropriate technology for DSW management, the concerns of farmers need to be acknowledged and addressed by all concerned.
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