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A former regional council chairperson is disappointed Canterbury’s nitrate emergency is effectively over, despite ongoing concerns about safe drinking water in rural supplies.
Environment Canterbury voted by 9-7 to not proceed with any further investigation into funding for the treatment of private drinking water supplies for nitrate contamination, at a council meeting last week, one year on from declaring a nitrate emergency.
A second motion noted the council’s drinking water action plan met its statutory responsibilities and called for staff to look into a cross-agency action plan.
Craig Pauling was chairperson when the emergency was declared on September 17 last year.
“It’s effectively over, but the issue hasn’t gone away,” Mr Pauling told local democracy reporting.
“A recent report highlights there maybe well be some health issues from exposure to nitrates in drinking water.
“It’s following the pattern of many environmental issues we are facing in New Zealand and around the world, eventually the science catches up, if the Government allows it.”
Mr Pauling is standing for the Green Party in the November 7 general election.
The Ministry of Health launched a review into the health effects of nitrates in drinking water earlier this year.
In a report to last week’s council meeting, a desktop study undertaken by PHF Science estimated there were more than 20,000 domestic self-supplies in Canterbury.
Of those supplies, more than 500 were in areas where past sampling found nitrate levels in groundwater above the maximum allowable value of 11.3 milligrams per litre of water.
More than 7000 supplies were in areas where past sampling found nitrate levels in groundwater above half the maximum allowable value.
Deputy chairperson Iaean Cranwell reminded councillors schools in the Ashburton and Waimate districts had experienced high levels of nitrates in drinking water, while Te Rūnanga o Waihao addressed ECan last year about having to truck water into their marae as their drinking water was unsafe.
Mr Cranwell said he attended the recent opening of Wai Ora, the new University of Otago health research and education facility in Christchurch, and discussed the concerns about the health affects of nitrates in drinking water with researchers.
But North Canterbury councillors Claire McKay and John Faulkner said while the nitrate issue remained, the council needed to be clear about what its role was.
Cr McKay said the issue was complex as contamination of ground water could be caused by multiple factors.
Cr Faulkner said the agricultural industry recognised the problem and was actively working to reduce nitrates.
South Canterbury councillor Peter Scott said council should focus on collaborating with other agencies, including Taumata Arowai, rather than going outside its statutory role.
“The new legislation to replace the RMA (Resource Management Act) has passed, so things are going to change.
“It means there is an opportunity to do something different.”
But Cr Ashley Campbell said the community believed it was ECan’s responsibility, so the council needed to take the lead.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
