8 Feb 2012

High bacterial count recorded near effluent spill

5:35 am on 8 February 2012

Southland Regional Council says water samples taken near an effluent spill at an Invercargill meat processing plant have confirmed high levels of bacterial contamination.

Environment Southland's Senior Technical Officer Graeme McKenzie says samples have also indicated that some of the waste from the South Pacific Meats plant at Awarua has entered the New River Estuary.

The incident happened on Thursday when a significant amount of processing effluent was spilled from a containment unit at the plant onto surrounding land.

The council is yet to decide whether to take any action against the company.