Another livestock sector project that we are currently closely involved in with Waka Kotahi is its National Stock Effluent Disposal project.
It’s fair to say that while livestock operators have done their part for a long time by ensuring stock crates are equipped with effluent holding tanks, managing the issue at the other ends has been an on-going frustration, be that standing stock so they are less likely to produce effluent during transport or finding places to empty the holding tanks.
Over the last several years Waka Kotahi has had a few attempts developing a strategic plan for new sites and finally after some false starts this seems to be getting some meaningful traction.
A key part of this project has been establishing a network of the current sites and their appropriateness. Jim Crouchley, Regional and Sector Advisor and our Rural Sector Group Lead has been doing much of the leg work on this and he is especially grateful to Sue Beel, Millers Flat Transport, Hugh Hamilton – Stephenson Transport Ltd, Mikayla Kerr – Heagney Brothers Transport, Graham Lowes – Farmers
Transport, Shannon Raven – Midlands Rural Transport, Shona Robertson – Road Transport Logistics for all their help recently checking Waka Kotahi’s network plan, which we identified wasn’t quite right. This clearly demonstrates the value our members bring.
Waka Kotahi has identified 33 possible new disposal sites and we are suggesting some others as well.
The next step is that in consultation with ourselves and representation from regional councils, a multi-criteria analysis is being developed to consider the sites so they can prioritise the potential sites for funding and implementation in the next National Land Transport Programme.
Watch this space.
