Westland creek pollution proves tricky for council
By local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
Murky discoloured water in Waimea Creek has become a sticking point for the West Coast Regional Council.
The catchment is one of the most intensive gold mining areas in the region at present with up to a dozen operations into the creek's upper reaches at Stafford and above Goldsborough.
Acting consents and compliance manager Rachel Clark told the Resource Management Committee last week that tracing the source of dirty mine water in the Waimea was proving tricky.
However a gold miner on the catchment who contacted the Greymouth Star immediately after the meeting on Tuesday noted the discolouration giving the creek a blue-grey appearance had appeared again that day.
The man, who declined to be named, said it was a bad look and he could not understand why it was so difficult for council to trace the culprit when the source seemed obvious to him.
"I know where it is coming from. It's very blue - it's obviously coming off the reef."
Blue-grey papa is usually associated with the gold bearing reefs within alluvial layers of gravel in the area.
The anonymous miner said the creek was in the same state in the previous 10 days when it had "ponded up" at the mouth, although it had now apparently blown out making the discolouration more obvious.
"It's not too difficult to trace where it's coming from - it's whether they want to put the effort in to trace it."
The miner said the council in past years would have acted decisively and shut down a culprit found to be the source immediately.
"They would never have got away with it," he said.
Clark said on Wednesday they had been notified of the latest incident and staff were looking into it.
"Someone is down there now," she said.
Similar incidents were investigated "almost immediately" as they were reported.
She earlier noted the compliance team had another busy month with the Waimea catchment "one of the biggest things" in council's sights.
As late as last Monday (July 10), the council had received reports again of a discoloured Waimea Creek.
"Again we're struggling with the lull between what has been seen and it being reported," she said.
At the same time council individual miners had been self reporting dirty water discharges.
Clark said they were potentially looking at doing some further investigation around the Waimea mouth.
"That's an issue and we're looking into it."
Councillor Peter Haddock noted the intensity of mining activity inland on what he described as "a slow moving creek" made the issue complex.
*Public interest journalism funded through NZ On Air
Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
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53.1% Yes
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46.9% No
‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...
As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.
Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
There are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe doing online trades this holiday season, says Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Dalton.
🔒 “A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created. If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
🔒 Another important step is to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name match up. “We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that’s a huge red flag."
🔒 “When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through."
🔒 “Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage."
🔒 "If you’re buying a car, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it’s stolen or if there’s money owed on it.”
A reminder: Suspicious activity can be reported on 105
Turn Wallpaper Scraps into Beautiful Blossoms
These blossoms made from Resene wallpaper left over after decorating will mean your décor will be blooming gorgeous, no matter the season. Find out how to create your own wallpaper flowers with these easy step by step instructions.
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