Allowing cattle effluent into stream brings home detention

A Southland man has been sentenced to home detention after repeatedly allowing effluent to contaminate a nearby stream.

Tokanui man Andrew Wright was convicted on 35 breaches of the Resource Management Act relating to his operation of a large-scale wagyu feedlot between July 2023 and November 2024.

Southland's regional council received a complaint in September 2024, discovering agricultural effluent was being repeatedly discharged from inadequately constructed feedpads into effluent ponds which overflowed into the stream.

He also failed to comply with an abatement notice.

Wright was sentenced to 12 months of home detention in the Invercargill District Council on Wednesday.

Council acting chief executive Rob Phillips said the offending would have a long-term, detrimental impact on the health of the Tokanui Stream

"This is some of the most extreme effluent discharge offending we've seen in RMA history," he said.

The offending undermined the efforts or farmers and communities trying to improve water quality, Phillips said.

"This case also highlights the important role the public play as our eyes and ears. If anything looks unusual, please let us know so we can check it out as soon as possible."