Water pollution in Canterbury, New Zealand

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The Canterbury Region is in theSouth Island of New Zealand.

Water pollution in Canterbury in New Zealand has become a notable environmental issue due
in a large part to the burgeoning dairy industry.
Water resources are under the jurisdiction of the Canterbury Regional Council (Ecan) under
the Resource Management Act (RMA), and water abstraction and use for irrigation requires
a resource consent. There is opposition to new irrigation schemes since they are seen to
exacerbate water pollution.
The municipal water supply for Christchurch, sourced from the aquifers beneath the city, is
untreated. This is unusual for a city of its size.
Contents
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1 Background
2 Issues
3 Mitigation
4 Prosecutions
5 See also
6 References
7 Further reading

8 External links

Background[edit]
Due to the rain shadow effect of the Southern Alps the rainfall in Canterbury is lower than many
other parts of the country at 500700 mm per year.[1] Water from melting snow and ice and from
rainfall drain into the predominantly braided rivers on theCanterbury Plains. The rivers recharge
the aquifers beneath the plains.
The Canterbury Region was traditionally arable and livestock farming but there have been a large
number of dairy conversions in the region. In recent years there has been a huge expansion
in dairy farming throughout the South Island.[2] Dairy farming requires the intensive use of water
and it is placing a high demand on water resources in the Canterbury Region.

Issues[edit]

A water pollution sign on theWaimakariri River in 2004.

The rivers and groundwater are being polluted with nitrates and E. coli and proposed irrigation
schemes can increase the pollution levels. Nitrate concentrations in the groundwater are above
the drinking water standards in some areas and elevated levels are widespread. Environment
Canterbury's 2010 groundwater quality survey indicated that nitrate concentrations had increased
in about one-third of the wells sampled during the past 10 years. Particularly of concern were the
Selwyn, Ashburton and Orari-Opihi-Pareora areas. Of 322 wells sampled, 34 had concentrations
of nitrate exceeding the maximum acceptable value for drinking-water standards.[3]
Inorganic nutrients, an indication of water quality, are considered to be low but increase closer to
the coast. For 2000-2001 28% of tested sites were classed as "alert" due to the presence of
organic pollutants.[4]
Water pollution of the two rivers flowing through the city of Christchurch, the Avon and
the Heathcote, is of concern. Untreated sewerage can flow into the rivers during times of high
rainfall. The estuary where the two rivers discharge had received treated water from
the sewerage treatment plant that processed the city's sewerage. However, a pipeline was
constructed to discharge the water into Pegasus Bay. It became operational in 2010.[5]
The Central Plains Water scheme is a large-scale proposal for water diversion, damming,
reticulation and irrigation over an area of 60,000 ha. Other proposed schemes will irrigate an
addition 90,000 ha.[4] A scheme to dam the Hurunui River to create water storage for irrigation
attracted large scale opposition due in part to the possibility of increased water pollution. The
resource consent application for the dams were put on hold.

A large number of resource consent applications for intensive dairy farming in the Mackenzie
Basin attracted opposition due in part to the potential effects on water quality.[6] The resource
consents were called in under the RMA by the Minister for the Environment Nick Smith.[7]
Cheviot has been on a boil water notice since October 2004.[8]
Dunsandel had an untreated water supply but in 2009 E. coli was found in the 70 metre deep well
that supplies the town. Effluent from dairy cows is suspected to be the cause of the pollution.[9]

Mitigation[edit]
The Dairying and Clean Streams Accord was set up by Fonterra and a number of government
agencies as a means of reducing nonpoint source pollution. The Accord is criticised for not
achieving its goals.[10]

Prosecutions[edit]
In recent years prosecutions have been made for causing water pollution:

2009 - Philip Curry was fined $5,000 after pleading guilty to discharging effluent onto land
that may have resulted in contaminants entering nearby Barry's Bay Stream.[11]

2009 - Corlette Holdings was fined $10,000 after pleading guilty to two charges of
discharging effluent from an irrigator resulted in ponding and a second charge of effluent
being discharged, which may have resulted in contaminated water.[12]

2010 - A prosecution against Brook Farms and Mosbro Farms in Ashburton was
withdrawn after they agreed to mitigate the effects of the effluent discharge.[13]

In 2012, Springston dairy farm company, White Gold Ltd, was fined a record $90,000
after illegally discharging 45,000 litres of diluted dairy effluent over a three-day period in
2010. The public reported the dairy effluent flowing into waterways that flowed into Lake
Ellesmere.[14]

See also[edit]

Canterbury Water Management Strategy

Water pollution in New Zealand
Water in New Zealand
Environment of New Zealand
Agriculture in New Zealand

References[edit]
1.

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