Mark Thomas

A group of Hawea Flat residents has launched a campaign to protect their bore drinking water supply from the threat of dairy farm effluent.

Preserve our Water (POW) was formed on Sunday in response to news a large-scale intensive dairy farm on Camp Hill Rd was recently granted resource consent and that earthworks have started.

POW spokesman and Hawea Flat resident Mark Thomas said yesterday the group had a five-person steering committee. Eight people formed the group.

Hawea Flat residents, the primary school and the kindergarten all get drinking water from bores.

"We are definitely not anti-farming or anti-dairying. We are just very concerned our drinking water could become polluted ... The reason why we are very concerned is because dairying has a terrible record of polluting waterways throughout the country and we don't want it happening here.

"By the time effluent is detected in our bores it will be too late - the aquifer will be tainted and there will be no turning back the clock." POW wants to organise a public meeting involving the Hawea Community Association and Otago Regional Council.

POW would also lobby for future dairy farm proposals to be publicly notified, allowing the community input.

The Camp Hill Rd farm, owned by Australian transport industry millionaires Jim and Jenny Cooper, did not have to be publicly notified.

The Coopers recently declined to meet the Lake Hawea Community Association.

Otago Regional Council policy and resource planning manager Fraser McRae said yesterday many of POW's concerns could be addressed at water quality forums planned in the region from September 13. The council would present its new rural water quality strategy and new rules for managing farm discharges.

Wanaka Community Board chairman Lyal Cocks confirmed yesterday the Otago Regional Council had already responded positively to a board invitation to meet on the issues and he was waiting to find out when people would be available.