Abatement notice served following contamination

Horizons Regional Council has served the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) with an abatement notice to cease the unauthorised discharge of contaminants at Ohakea air base.

Horizons group manager strategy and regulation Dr Nic Peet says NZDF must cease the unauthorised discharge of a contaminant, namely stormwater that contains Aqueous Fire Fighting Foam (AFFF), onto or into land in circumstances where it may enter water.  
 
NZDF must also cease the unauthorised discharge of a contaminant, namely AFFF into the stormwater network associated with wash down and flushing of the fire truck foam system equipment, which may enter water.
 
Finally, NZDF must cease the unauthorised discharge of a contaminant, namely AFFF from the fire training area onto or into land where it may enter water.
 
“We have required NZDF to comply with the notice and report to us what measures have been put in place to do so by 1 July 2018,” says Dr Peet.
 
“In the meantime Horizons’ investigation into the discharge of contaminants in and around Ohakea air base continues.”