Water quality community responsibility, forum told

Communities taking control of water quality in their catchments was the aim of a forum held by the Otago Regional Council in Oamaru yesterday.

The forum was the initial step in preparing a regional plan for water quality which would use an innovative approach to maintaining and improving water quality in Otago.

But the message was clear - either the region controlled its own destiny or faced having rules imposed on it.

"Water in all its facets is a major topic nationwide and [of] some ferocity in your area as well," council chairman Stephen Cairns told the forum.

Water quality was not just a rural-farming issue, but a major issue for some cities and towns.

The forum, attended by about 50 people, heard about water quality issues, with a focus on North Otago rivers and estuaries.

It then split into six groups to consider barriers and solutions.

Another issue was ensuring consistency in rules where catchments crossed the Otago Regional Council and Environment Canterbury boundaries, and overcoming the "urban-rural divide".

AgResearch scientist Ross Monaghan said there was "no silver bullet".

Council chief executive Graeme Martin said Otago's water, in global terms, was reasonable but improvement was needed in some places.

He predicted water quality would be one of the major issues at next year's general election.

"Improvement is being demanded and effective immediate action demanded. Life's more complicated than that," he said.

The focus in recent years was on "points of discharge" such as freezing works, cheese and dairy factories.

The next step was land use, not just rural but also urban, Mr Martin said.

The council was implementing a new effects-based approach for managing water quality and setting standards in Otago lakes, rivers and streams.

That involved application of instruments farmers and other land-users could employ to measure their farm water contaminants.

Farmers would be able to use innovative measures to manage run-off, drainage and leaching. david.bruceodt.co.nz

Add a Comment