Gore’s District Council could be fined $1.5 million after a three-year-old drowned in a wastewater treatment pond last year.
The council has been charged in connection with the death of three-year-old Lachlan Jones, who drowned in a wastewater treatment pond in January last year.
Lachlan could not be revived after being found unresponsive in the oxidation pond in south Gore.
The council has been charged by Worksafe under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.
The Act states the council has a duty to ensure the workplace is safe and does not expose anyone to the risk of death or serious injury.
If found guilty, the council could be fined up to $1.5m.
A spokesperson said the council could not make comment because the matter was before the court.
Source: rnz.co.nz Republished by arrangement.
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https://whatsoninvers.nz/toddler-who-drowned-in-oxidation-pond-gore-council-faces-charges/