Engineer’s effluent pond work catches council eyes

Corlett’s work has influenced regional council rules on dairy farm effluent storage, IPENZ says. It won him the Angus Award which recognises engineering excellence in waste, water and amenities.

A chance visit to a dairy farm 10 years ago sparked his interest in effluent ponds.

“I was horrified,” he says. “There were damp patches around the outside of the pond and its downstream slope was leaking into a nearby creek.”

Given the farmer had used his own excavator for the works and only track-rolled the surface, Corlett says the leakage wasn’t surprising.  But he was surprised to discover this kind of practice was commonplace. 

The key to improving farm systems, he says, is talking to farmers, building respect and trust, and convincing them that good design isn’t overkill but sound, sensible practice.

“Farmers naturally want to do as much work onfarm as they can and choosing to employ an engineering consultant often doesn’t come easily.” 

But producing a low-maintenance, long-term solution makes their lives easier, he says.

Doing it once and doing it right means no costly fix-ups of mistakes, or replacement two years down the track.

“It’s actually just good asset management principles.”

Currently principal engineer (rural) in Opus’ Christchurch office, Corlett is drafting the third revision of IPENZ Practice Note 21, and continues to work with DairyNZ and regional councils.

He has recently been seconded to the North Canterbury transport infrastructure recovery team to manage reconstruction and upgrading of the Picton-Christchurch rural highway following the Kaikoura earthquakes.

The Angus Award was one of two supreme technical awards presented at the IPENZ Fellows and Achievers Awards on April 7 in Wellington.