Benhar has been told it must sort out its sewage disposal problems, but residents say they cannot afford the almost $19,000 bill each household would face for a sewerage scheme.
Benhar resident Phil Barrett said at the weekend sewage disposal in the township 8km northeast of Balclutha had been an issue for years but residents were frustrated with the way the Clutha District Council had handled the matter.
Public meetings were held in 2005, but the council had taken no further steps towards finding a solution.
"It wasn't until two weeks ago that we heard [in the council's annual plan] this was happening about four days before the first public meeting [on April 20]," Mr Barrett said.
In a newsletter distributed to Benhar residents, the council outlined eight options it had considered, including four using the Biofiltro treatment system used in Kaka Point and four for pumping sewage to Balclutha.
The option favoured by the council would bring the installation of sewerage reticulation in Benhar, with the effluent discharged to the Balclutha sewage treatment plant. The option would cost each household opting for a lump sum payment $18,750 plus $250 per year, or $1700 per year on top of present rates.
Each property would need to be connected to the new system, with all septic tanks decommissioned.
Mr Barrett said Benhar residents wanted more time to explore "affordable" options, obtain more information from the council, and "get our heads around it".
Fellow resident Julie Posthumus said the major concern was with the cost. "We've been through so much already. People here know that they can't pay for this." Clutha District Mayor Bryan Cadogan said the council had had concerns about sewage disposal in Benhar since 2001.
"We've got a lot of people facing a difficult issue. The problem isn't going to go away.
Two years ago, the public was consulted and only three submissions were made, and all were in favour. Not doing anything really isn't an option." Mr Cadogan said there were two options - working with the council's scheme or installing individual septic tank systems, where sewage was contained on each property and absorbed into the soil.
Under the council's preferred option, about 10% of the scheme would be funded by Balclutha residents through an annual payment of between $25 and $29 per household.
Otago Regional Council director of resource management Selva Selvarajah said Benhar had a history of septic tank issues. The regional council became involved in 2005, when staff found unsafe levels of bacteria in effluent.
"It's a health issue and it has to be addressed. We are concerned with the time it has taken to address this issue and under the Resource Management Act we have enforcement powers, including issuing infringement and abatement notices and, potentially, prosecution, if issues are ongoing," Mr Selvarajah said.
Benhar residents are being invited to comment by lodging a submission on the district council's annual plan by May 9.
