An asphalted yard at the recycling centre in Alexandra has no drainage and resembles a swimming pool every time it rains.
Volunteer worker Jim Oliver said people visiting the centre during the weekend were unable to enter the yard "properly" and had difficulty using WasteBusters facilities.
He had written to the Central Otago District Council seeking help, but none was available immediately.
WasteBusters received a grant from the Central Lakes Trust about 12 months ago to seal the yard.
It was proposed a soak pit could be installed to handle drainage, but the council refused consent for the pit, saying there was an old landfill under the yard and a soak pit could cause leachate problems.
CODC assets and contracts manager Murray Washington said the council recognised WasteBusters had a problem, but staff would have to be patient.
"You can't put stormwater into the ground . . . we said we would help them with proper drainage but didn't have the budget for it."The nearby rural fire building would soon be upgraded and the project would require a new stormwater drainage pipe along Boundary Rd.
"We told WasteBusters we would connect them to that pipe when it was installed, which we hope will be in a few months," he said.
Mr Washington said there was no temporary drainage option available at the WasteBusters site.
"We would love to do it now but it involves third parties and private companies, and will be a few months down the track.
"We agree the situation is unacceptable but our only option is to do it the right way," he said.
