4.10 Rural production discharges
Introduction
Introduction
This section provides rules and controls relating to the management of rural production activities that may generate discharges of contaminants to land and water. The following rules and controls apply to:
1.The discharge of dairy farm effluent into or onto land or water, which includes :
a. effluent from dairy sheds
b. effluent from feedpads and standoff pads
c. sludge from farm effluent ponds.
2.The use and discharge of fertiliser to rural production land.
3.Rural production discharges that are:
a. stockpiling or composting of vegetative or animal waste
b. discharge of vegetative material
c. storage of silage and discharge of associated leachate
d. emergency discharges of milk
e. disposal of dead stock
f. discharges of other liquid contaminants.
1. Activity table
[rp]
The following table specifies the activity status regulating the discharge of contaminants into or onto land and into water from rural production activities. Refer to the zone rules for provisions regulating the use of the site for rural production activities.

Rural production activity  All zones
Discharges of dairy farm effluent
Discharge of dairy effluent to land  P
Discharge of dairy effluent to land that does not meet the permitted activity controls  D
Discharge of treated dairy effluent to water  D
Discharge of untreated dairy effluent to water  Pr
Use and discharge of fertiliser onto or into land
Application of fertiliser onto or into land  P
Application of fertiliser that does not meet the permitted activity controls  D
Other rural production activities
The use of land to stockpile and compost vegetative material or animal waste
• That is not decomposing at such a rate as to produce leachate
• That is decomposing and producing leachate on a sealed surface (permeability to not exceed 1x10-9 m/s) that collects all discharges
  P
The use of land as a silage storage facility  P
The discharge of vegetative material or animal waste onto or into land  P
The discharge of silage leachate onto or into land  P
The emergency discharge of milk onto or into land but not directly into water
  P
The discharge of greenhouse nutrient solution onto or into land where the total floor area of the greenhouse is less than 1ha
  P
The disposal of dead stock and offal onto or into land:
• where an offal hole, shallow trench or composting is used
• Except where the material originates from a commercial animal processing business
  P
The discharge of other liquid contaminants onto or into land:
• where the discharge volume is less than 10m3/discharge system/day		  P
Other rural production discharges that do not meet the permitted activity controls  D
2. Controls
2.1 Permitted activities
2.1.1 General
1. There must be no discharge or runoff to water bodies or artificial watercourses.
2. Discharges must not result in surface ponding of more than three hours in duration
3. The application rate of nitrogen from any combination of dairy effluent, nitrogenous fertiliser and other nitrogen discharges from the other rural production activities must not:
a. exceed 150kgN/ha/year and 30kgN/ha/31 days onto grazed pasture underlain by sandy and volcanic soils
b. exceed 200kgN/ha/year and 50kgN/ha/31 days onto grazed pasture underlain by soils other than those listed above
c. exceed the reasonable nitrogen requirements of the crop being grown on ground other than grazed pasture.
Note Refer to the "Soil Types" layer under "Non Statutory Information" in the Unitary Plan GIS viewer
2.1.2 Discharge of dairy farm effluent
1.All feedpads and permanent standoff pads must be sealed and the permeability of the sealing layer must not exceed 1x10-9m/s. The permeability must be certified by a chartered professional engineer holding a current practicing certificate and provided to the council on request.
2.Effluent storage systems must be used and must comply with the following:
a.the volume of all systems constructed or modified after the notification date of the Unitary Plan will be determined using the Dairy Effluent Storage Calculator for the Auckland Region 2012
b.all new and modified effluent storage systems must be sealed and the permeability of the sealing layer must not exceed 1x10-9m/s. The permeability must be certified by a chartered professional engineer holding a current practicing certificate
c.confirmation of the storage system volume and certification of the permeability of the sealing layer must be submitted to the council within 30 days of completion of the system.

Note: 'Modified' means an increase in storage system capacity and excludes changes to a system’s supporting infrastructure including pumps, screens, stone traps, aerators, and inlet or outlet pipes.

Effluent storage system can include ponds and tanks. However, sump storage is not adequate to be considered an effluent storage system in the Unitary Plan

3.Stormwater diversion must be in place to direct stormwater from ancillary roof areas and hardstand areas which do not hold animals or animal products away from the effluent storage system.
4.Effluent from standoff pads must be contained within the pad area, and either discharged to the effluent storage system or directly applied to the effluent discharge field or disposed of in a lawful manner off-site.
5.A nutrient budget, undertaken using the OVERSEER® model, which takes into account all other sources of Nitrogen and is designed to minimise Nitrogen leaching rates, must be used to plan and carry out the effluent discharge.
2.1.3 Use and discharge of fertiliser to land
1. Fertiliser or contaminants must not be discharged to land within:
a. 20m of a wetland management area, the shoreline of any lake in a natural lake management area or a stream in a natural stream management area.
2. Fertiliser may only be applied within the above buffer distances by hand and only for revegetation, landscaping, horticultural or domestic use.
3. The storage, use and disposal of fertiliser must be in accordance with the Code of Nutrient Management (2007).
2.1.4 Silage storage and leachate disposal
1. All new and modified silage storage facilities must be situated on a sealed pad and the sealing layer must not exceed 1x10-9 m/s.
2. The silage facility must be securely covered to prevent stormwater from entering it.
3. Silage storage facilities, offal holes and offal trenches must not be located within:
a. 20m of a surface water body, floodplain or CMA
4. All silage leachate must be collected and directed into an effluent storage system or diluted and directly applied to land in manner that meets permitted activity controls .
2.1.5 Discharge of greenhouse nutrient solution onto or into land
1. The discharge of greenhouse nutrient solution must be in accordance with the Code of Practice for Management of Greenhouse Nutrient Discharges (2007).
2.1.6 Other Rural Production Discharges
1. Rural production discharges not otherwise listed must not:
a. contain hazardous substances or human sewage
b. cause the spread of pathogens, pests or disease.