Staff from Otago Regional Council (ORC), Central Otago District Council, Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC), and QLDC Harbourmaster teams took part in a joint freshwater oil spill response exercise at Waterfall Creek last week (Wednesday February 25).

ORC investigations team leader Peter Kelliher said the training of as many as 20 staff focused on deploying a containment boom around the confluence of Waterfall Creek and Lake Wānaka.

A containment boom is an important technique used to limit the spread of oil during a spill event.

“The exercise was an excellent demonstration of local authorities working together to strengthen preparedness and response capability across the Central Otago districts,” Peter said.

“This was a great example of councils collaborating to ensure we’re ready to respond quickly and effectively to oil discharges, whether they come from vessels on the lake or from road incidents near waterways.”

The joint exercise forms part of ongoing regional readiness activities aimed at protecting Otago’s freshwater environments and supporting coordinated emergency responses.