There was something a little stinky in the air along a road in the King Valley last December.
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The results of an Environment Protection Authority investigation released this week concluded the stench was cattle waste, which has cost a local dairy farmer a $1771 fine for incorrectly discharging the waste.
EPA officers discovered the breach after attending the dairy farm in the King Valley area.
They saw a browny-green liquid overflowing from the property’s drains on to a nearby road reserve and noticed there was a strong cattle waste odour emanating from the liquid.
Samples taken of the waste found it contained significant levels of E.coli and other pollutants, which could have been seriously harmful to people if the liquid had spilled into the King River before it was discovered by the EPA.
The EPA issued the farmer with a Pollution Abatement Notice (PAN) requiring the dairy effluent system be modified to prevent any further discharges.
The King Valley farmer has begun work on meeting the conditions outlined in the PAN.
In addition to this, the EPA issued the farmer with a $1771 fine for depositing industrial waste (dairy effluent) to a site not licensed to receive it, which is a breach of the Environment Protection Act.
EPA North East manager Clare Kiely said that the farmer had breached regulations by allowing the cattle waste to overflow in an area that could be accessed by the public.
“Business owners and individuals must be aware of their environmental and regulatory responsibilities,” she said.
“Fortunately in this instance, the discharge didn’t reach the nearby waterway but the effluent had the potential to impact on King River and cause health impacts for downstream users and aquatic life.”
“Dairy farmers are required to manage their dairy effluent in a way that does not allow it to discharge off site or impact on the environment.”
The nutrients from effluent at dairy farms can form pollution that can significantly impact ground and surface water.
The fine issued to the King Valley farmer comes as a warning for other dairy farmers to obey the regulations when it comes to cattle waste.
Anyone who discovers pollution in their area is encouraged to report it to the EPA’s 24-hour telephone hotline on 1300 372 842 (1300 EPA VIC) or by visiting www.epa.vic.gov.au.
