It is expected tough new water quality regulations approved by the Otago Regional Council this week will end up in the Environment Court.
Those who submitted on the proposed water plan 6A (water quality) have 30 days to appeal the plan and the Otago Daily Times understands some, especially those in farmers in sensitive zones where they believe it is impossible to meet nitrogen discharge standards, will be looking at legal action.
More than 330 submissions were made on the plan and 171 gave their views in person at hearings last October.
Those spoken to had yet to see the approved plan, which the council planned to put on its website on Thursday afternoon.
Federated Farmers regional policy manager Matt Harcombe said it would take time to review the decision in full and most importantly understand what it meant to farmers in Otago.
''We will work with our members over the next couple of weeks to fully understand the scope of the proposed changes.''
Taieri Farmer and Otago Federated Farmers vice-president Mike Lord said he had not read the document but hoped common sense and clarity had prevailed, given the five months it had taken for the recommendations to be released.
''We want to work constructively with council to ensure farmers are making the right decisions.''
Otago Fish and Game environmental officer Peter Wilson, who attended the council meeting releasing the plan, said some of the discharge thresholds had been raised slightly, which could put aquatic life at risk for some of the time in some cases.
''We think some of the catchment numbers are wrong and could possibly lead to water quality degradation.''
However, on the whole, Fish and Game congratulated the council for sticking to its principles, he said.
''They have made it simple enough for people to understand. We're pretty happy with it.''
Otago Regional Council chairman Stephen Woodhead said while it would be pleasing to think the plan would not be appealed, he would be very surprised if it was not.
He hoped any appeal would be reasonably minor and the council would be able to undertake mediation ''before it gets to expensive and lengthy Environment Court hearings''.
He warned any appeal to the court had implications, especially as while it had regard for the panel decision, it was not bound by it.
''It's all out of the council's hands. We've accepted the panel decision.''
The plan will be notified from April 20.
