2 April 2019

Following last week’s significant rainfall event, Westland District Council has been undertaking assessments to assets throughout the district. The Council has found significant damage to roads and other assets. One of these being a closed landfill alongside the Fox River. The closed landfill was established in the 1960’s and closed in the early 2000’s.

Work is being undertaken to protect the closed landfill, lining the eroded area with geo cloth and filling in the bank area with rock from the river. Larger equipment is expected to arrive on site today to assist with this. A coordinated response to the clean-up is underway with a contractor employed to remove rubbish from the environment, in conjunction with the Department of Conservation who are assisting with the provision of staff and equipment.

Centralised dumping places have been established at Okarito, Fox Glacier and Franz Josef for volunteers to dump rubbish collected from along the coastline beaches and river area. Volunteers are asked to continue to check the South Westland Coastal Cleanup Facebook page for updates and information.

ENDS