Suspicious E coli levels at Franz Josef
By local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
E coli found at the Waiho River in January appears to be linked to seepage near a controversial stopbank and the Franz Josef sewage ponds.
West Coast Regional Council environmental consent monitoring staff detected "a spike" in E coli discharge levels to the Westland District Council's wastewater treatment cells after the Waiho River shifted course in mid-January.
The finding was flagged in council's first quarterly compliance and enforcement report for 2024.
The river began running hard up against the Westland District Council's Havill Wall, in front of the wastewater treatment plan, following a storm in January.
That event saw the Waiho River's avulsion escalate into the separate Tatare Stream catchment to the north.
The Havill Wall was controversially built following a moderate flood event in April 2016 where the river overtopped a stopbank to the north of Franz Josef township. It flooded the now abandoned Scenic Hotel site and swamped the district council's current wastewater treatment site.
The council's quarterly compliance report said the E.coli discharge to the treatment plant's disposal cells was found during regular monitoring by staff.
"Surveillance of the site found an unusual stream of water emanating from below the site," the report said.
A council compliance officer took samples of the surface water below the site.
"This was found to be contaminated with E coli bacteria.
"At the time these samples were taken the Waiho River was pushing up against the Havill Wall outside of the wastewater treatment ponds," the report said.
Subsequent additional protection work by the district council to stop the river from cutting back up towards the ponds had covered over the water sample area.
"The area sampled is now under these works."
Further inquiries were ongoing "to pinpoint" the source of the contamination.
Westland District Council chief executive Simon Bastion on April 18 said his council had been advised by the regional council an area of ponding below the level of the oxidation ponds had been sampled and found to be positive for E coli.
"The level of E coli can fluctuate in any standing or flowing water body depending on natural contamination via wildlife or human interference factors," he said.
Both councils then visited the oxidation ponds.
"A very minor clear stream of river water was visible and flowing along the toe of the stopbank and ponding near the base of Maturation pond 1. This was believed to be the cause of the positive E coli sample."
Bastion said the district council was confident its sewerage treatment ponds at the site were not permeable or posed a risk to the river.
"The new primary and secondary oxidation ponds are lined with PE (Polyethylene) to ensure they do not leak. The oxidation ponds are fit for purpose and have operated satisfactorily since commissioning in 2020."
Bastion said the final effluent disposal cells for the site were located further away from the Waiho River and complied with their Resource Consent.
The council's iwi partner, Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio, were also approached by LDR.
Makaawhio chairperson Paul Madgwick said it was the first he had heard of the incident.
Madgwick said his expectation was that council would have informed the rūnunga about the finding in the spirit of their joint agreement.
The council not keeping them in the loop undermined the formal Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreement between Makaawhio and the council, he said.
The agreement, first signed four years ago, sets out a working relationship where council and iwi work together on resource management issues.
Regional council chief executive Darryl Lew said the E coli initially found at the site had disappeared, following more tests.
"The recent sampling is clear. That doesn't mean to say we've cleared that line of inquiry," Lew said.
He believed Makaawhio had previously been briefed about the contamination but it was a case of nothing further emerging to keep them in the loop.
However, Lew said he would communicate further.
"We certainly informed the district council."
Escherichia coli (E coli) is a bacteria commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms. Some E coli strain can cause serious food poisoning.
Poll: Do you think banning gang patches is reasonable?
With the government cracking down on gangs, it is now illegal for gang members to display their insignia in public places whether through clothing or their property.
This means arrests can be made if these patches are worn in places like restaurants, shops, on public transport or ferries, and on airplanes. Arrests were made recently at a funeral.
Do you think this ban is reasonable?
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77.9% Yes
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20.9% No
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1.2% Other - I'll share below
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West Coast council accepts Franz Josef loan offer
By local democracy reporter Lois Williams:
The West Coast Regional Council has voted to take up the government’s offer to co-fund a second round of flood protection at Franz Josef.
The decision follows a fractious meeting in the tourist town on Wednesday night, with local ratepayers agonising over how to pay for the work, and insisting they authorise what the council builds and spends.
Scientists and engineers have warned the community is at high to critical risk from the wild Waiho (Waiau) River unless urgent work is done to top up and rebuild damaged stopbanks, as a stop gap measure.
At a brief extraordinary Council meeting in Greymouth on Friday, chairperson Peter Haddock moved the council accept the offer of funding, up to a value of $7.9 million.
The government’s original offer was for $10m, as a 60/40 split: a grant of $6m and a loan of $4m to Waiho ratepayers.
But that included the cost of strengthening the massive flood banks built to protect State Highway 6, and the council excluded that component after Franz Josef objected to funding a Crown asset.
The council vote to accept the funding was all but unanimous: rebel councillor Allan Birchfield was the sole dissenting voice, saying he had no confidence in the council to honestly and fairly administer the money, and the council was not trusted by the community.
“And I don’t have the confidence in you, Peter - so I’m voting against it.”
Haddock said the criticism was unfair.
He said he had been to five meetings with Franz Josef ratepayers to try to rebuild trust and apologise to them for the way they were treated by the council previously, when Birchfield was the chairperson.
“The previous council had no meetings with them for over five years, very poor financial paperwork … I’ve been through the minutes and I see you don’t appear in most of them, the previous money was lost back to the government and I’m afraid that lies with you Allan [Birchfield].”
Councillor Brett Cummings, who was a member of the Waiho ratepayers joint committee, reminded Birchfield that only two people at the Franz Josef meeting had opposed accepting the funding and loan.
“I feel quite confident, Allan, that the community group down there has quite a lot of control on how and where the money’s being spent - their money.”
Councillor Peter Ewen said he wanted to acknowledge the Franz Josef community, and the angst it had gone through over the decision.
“I agree with them over not taking the $10 million ... [but] this is ensuring the Insurance Council does not walk away from the situation. We are helping ourselves, and I’m sure the council with its best endeavours and professional river staff will adhere to the wishes of the community down there.”
If nature played its part, the Franz Josef community would now gain the time to come up with a final plan for its future, which was the purpose of the funding, Ewen said.
Birchfield asked engineer Scott Hoare why it was planning to tear down and rebuild the Milton stopbank on the sourh side, saying he had been there when it was built and it was well “found”.
Hoare said the bank would not be torn down, but was slumping in places and the rocks would be taken out and restacked.
Councillor Frank Dooley said he had every confidence in Haddock as council chairperson.
“I really appreciate the work you’ve done to bring this organisation to the position it’s now in ... the West Coast community can only benefit through your leadership.”
The regional council had until Monday to tell the government if it would accept the funding for Franz Josef and that would now happen, Haddock said after the meeting.
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