A West Gippsland farmer faces a $1923 fine for depositing more than 1000 litres of dairy effluent into a tributary of the Lang Lang River, the Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has revealed.
EPA says that officers conducting an unannounced inspection of the property at Nyora found waste flowing from a dairy effluent management system into a rock-lined channel, then into the waterway. The spill continued a further 40 metres downstream.
EPA acting Regional Manager Sarah Cumming, said dairy effluent spills were far too common on Gippsland properties.
“On many properties we can offer advice, where the problems we find are minor. Yet we are still finding spills and dairy effluent systems in dire need of maintenance,” she said.
“Good routine maintenance of your system will prevent a spill that affects the environment and your neighbours. The lack of that maintenance can mean pollution and a fine from EPA.”
The farmer at Nyora has also been issued with an EPA regulatory notice requiring that the effluent be cleaned up and the system fixed.
Depositing more than 1000 litres of dairy effluent into a waterway is a contravention of Section 115 of the Environment Protection Act 2017.
The public can report pollution by calling EPA’s 24-hour hotline on 1300 372 842 or providing details online at epa.vic.gov.au/report-pollution/reporting-pollution
