A Tararua dairy farmer has been fined $25,000 for illegally taking water from a stream near Dannevirke.
Kevin Harris ignored repeated warnings from the Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council to comply with the conditions of his resource consent, the Palmerston North District Court was told.
He tried to mislead the council into thinking he was not taking water last December and in February this year from the Raparapawai stream by disconnecting his meter.
Judge Gregory Ross, who sentenced Harris, says water resources as a whole are coming under increasing stress, and the level of fine should act as a strong deterrent to others.
