ORC’s Manager Compliance, Simon Wilson, was pleased with the general level of compliance and engagement from people attending education focused events, plus the increased use of ORC’s 24/7 Pollution Hotline.
“We’re really pleased with the level of compliance seen across Otago and that the public got involved and used the Pollution Hotline [0800 800 033] so often, it really is one of the most effective reporting tools we have,” Mr Wilson says.
As at mid-August 2025, a total 8252 combined consents and permitted activities throughout Otago were assigned to a Priority 1-6:
- Reduce non-compliant discharges to improve freshwater quality – 2436
- Proactive and integrated approach to monitoring large-scale activities – 2116
- Monitor water takes and use to protect water quantity – 2521
- Monitor structures and works in and adjacent to freshwater – 477
- Reduce non-compliant air discharges to improve air quality – 52
- Monitor coastal structures and oil spill preparedness - 648
The team had a target of completing 6000 planned performance monitoring assessments (monitoring required under a consent, examples include water meter returns, water quality tests and site management plans) and 1000 audits and inspections in the 2024/25 financial year, however, there were a total 8794 performance monitoring returns graded and 1264 audits and inspections completed.
“The Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement teams continued to meet and exceed targets largely through the effectiveness of solid work planning, on-going training and in implementing efficiency gains across the respective teams,” Mr Wilson says.
Trends across the region
“There’s common trends seen across the region which indicate the difference in the types of planned and completed site audits and inspections undertaken by the Coastal and Central Compliance Teams,” Mr Wilson says.
Mr Wilson says through the ORC’s compliance and enforcement strategy, staff use a risk-based approach to compliance audits of consents, with staff working closely with the consent holders to complete this work.
“This approach allows for inspections to be focused on where and what might pose the greatest environmental risk, and the steps needed to eliminate or minimise that risk” he says
The coastal districts of Waitaki, Clutha and Dunedin typically contain greater proportions of highly productive land, contributing to the completion of more Priority 1 site audits and inspections associated with farming and forestry activities.
Most large-scale primary industrial consent holders such as abattoirs, milk processing factories, Port Otago and City and District Council treatment plants are also located within the coastal districts, contributing to an increased number of Priority 2 site audits and inspections completed by the Coastal Compliance Team.
Given that the inland Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago districts contain a large number of water schemes, water take and bore consents, the Central Compliance Team typically complete a larger number of Priority 3 site audits and inspections.
The Priority 1 site audits and inspections completed in the Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago districts are typically dominated by earthworks relating to development and in-stream consented activities.
The Central Compliance Team also completes a large number of septic tanks and medium-sized privately owned wastewater treatment site audits and inspections, under Priority 2.
ORC’s 24/7 Pollution Hotline
Mr Wilson says the Otago-wide, 24/7 Pollution Hotline is an excellent resource for people and communities to engage directly with ORC, effectively acting as “eyes on the ground”.
“Using the Pollution Hotline enables us to get staff to these events quickly and assess whether there is in fact an impact on the environment, and how best to contain it,” he says.
There were 1042 individual incidents associated with the 1407 complaints reported through to the Pollution Hotline during the 2024/25 financial year.
The number of complaints and associated incidents received throughout the 2024/25 financial year were consistent with the number received within the previous 2023/24 financial year, in which 1361 complaints were received and associated with 1095 incidents.
The most common complaints received within the 2024/25 financial year related to: water pollution 331, outdoor burning 230, odour 160 and domestic chimney smoke, 92.
Formal enforcement action taken during 2024-25 full year
During the 2024/25 financial year, the Investigation and Compliance Teams issued 125 formal enforcement actions, an increase from 100 formal enforcement actions taken in the 2024/25 year. The focus is always on education first, but it is important that the right compliance tool is used at the right time.
Enforcement actions during the year included 5 formal warnings, 62 infringement notices and 56 abatement notices. One enforcement order was applied through the Environment Court while one prosecution was initiated. Two prosecutions were concluded during the 2024/25 financial year, with two prosecutions still in progress. Of the two prosecutions concluded one person was convicted for outdoor burning, while the other saw an offending company and individual being convicted in relation to tyre storage.
Other areas in the report with a summary of activities include earthworks monitoring, compliance results from permitted activity dairy auditing, compliance results from permitted activity forestry auditing and regional dams and dam safety.
