Paint spreads on Lake Wanaka after yesterday's spill. Photo by Mark Price.

Two litres of paint that fell off the back of a painter's vehicle yesterday ended up in Lake Wanaka.

The paint ran down a stormwater drain into the lake next to the McKay St jetty.

The paint discoloured about 20sq m of the lake next to the jetty.

Senior communications adviser for the Queenstown Lakes District Council [QLDC] Michele Poole told the Otago Daily Times yesterday its contractor, Veolia Water, responded to the spill on behalf of the council and ''also identified the person responsible for the spillage''.

''Dulux has confirmed that the paint is non-toxic and will disperse,'' Ms Poole said.

ORC director, environmental monitoring and operations, Jeff Donaldson said last night what came out stormwater drains into the lake was the responsibility of the QLDC, which could be prosecuted by the ORC.

Mr Donaldson said the QLDC had been advised to clean out the system.

Wanaka resident Fred Futschek, who alerted the district council to the spill, told the ODT yesterday he found it hard to believe the spill could be accidental.