Latest news with #Appelbe
Scoop
6 days ago
- Health
- Scoop
ECAN Study Confirms Canterbury Nitrate Issue Escalating
Greenpeace Aotearoa is calling on Environment Canterbury (ECan) to put an end to dairy expansion on the plains, following new data that shows nitrate contamination worsening in the region. ECan's latest Annual Ground Water Quality Survey released this week shows that nitrate-nitrogen contamination is worsening across 62% of groundwater wells, while 18% show no change in contamination and 20% show a decrease, in sites where a ten-year trend can be established "This data confirms what's been clear for years: nitrate contamination is a worsening crisis for Canterbury. Everybody should have access to clean, safe drinking water, but for many Cantabrians, turning on the kitchen tap means worrying about getting sick," says Greenpeace freshwater campaigner Will Appelbe. "The ECan study directly acknowledges that the main source of nitrate contamination is intensive dairying and the use of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser. It points out that most affected communities are those 'in areas around and downstream of intensive farming'. "Despite the worsening freshwater crisis, ECan has given approval for a wave of dairy expansions across the region, which will devastate freshwater ecosystems and increase nitrate contamination of drinking water." Since the start of the year, Environment Canterbury has approved over a dozen resource consents for dairy expansions, enabling nearly 16,000 cattle to be added to the region's dairy herd. "Town supplies in Hinds, Darfield and Oxford have already exceeded 5 mg/L, levels of nitrate associated with an increased risk of cancer and pre-term birth. As nitrate levels increase, it's only a matter of time before a baby in Canterbury is seriously harmed by Blue Baby Syndrome as a result of nitrate-contaminated drinking water," says Appelbe. "This is a serious health issue that Environment Canterbury should be deeply concerned by." "It's not too late to turn things around. If we reduce the number of dairy cows and phase out the use of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser, we can restore water quality and ensure that everyone, no matter where they live, has access to clean, safe drinking water. "Environment Canterbury is utterly failing in its responsibility to protect sources of drinking water. People across the region expect better, and are willing to stand up for safe drinking water. Candidates standing for the Canterbury Regional Council in the upcoming local elections must commit to clean drinking water for all, and to end the intensive dairy industry's contamination of groundwater."
Scoop
03-07-2025
- Health
- Scoop
"A Dirty Deal For Dirty Water" - Government's $56m Irrigation Subsidy Blasted By Greenpeace
Greenpeace strongly condemns the announcement today of a $56 million government subsidy for additional irrigation infrastructure in rural Canterbury, saying that this will result in increased water pollution and the destruction of fragile freshwater ecosystems. The Government has announced a $56 million dollar subsidy through the Regional Investment Fund for three water storage projects in the Canterbury region - the Opuha Dam and Irrigation Scheme, the Balmoral Water Storage Facility (Amuri), and the Waimakariri Irrigation Scheme. Greenpeace spokesperson Will Appelbe says, "It is deeply irresponsible to use public money to fund the expansion of these irrigation schemes, which will lead to more intensive dairy, more cows, and more pollution. This is a dirty deal for dirty water." "Shane Jones needs to go down and front up to rural communities in Canterbury whose drinking water is already so contaminated with nitrates they can't safely drink it and explain why he is funding irrigation for dirty dairying that will contaminate their water more. "Everyone should be able to safely drink the water coming out of their kitchen tap, but right now, some rural communities are facing the reality that they cannot do so, because their drinking water is contaminated with unsafe levels of nitrate." Elevated levels of nitrate contamination in drinking water has been associated with several health risks including colorectal cancer and preterm birth. Stats New Zealand data released last week revealed that between 2019 and 2024 more than 12% of groundwater monitoring sites exceeded nitrate levels associated with Blue Baby Syndrome. "The source of nitrate contamination in drinking water is effluent runoff and nitrate leaching from the intensive dairy industry," says Appelbe. "Subsidising new irrigation infrastructure, which will lead to more intensive dairying and therefore more contamination of groundwater and drinking water, shows that this Government has a total disregard for the health of rural communities who cannot drink the water coming out of their kitchen tap." Appelbe says this comes off the back of the announcement of a wave of regulation changes that Greenpeace has labelled the Government's 'Freshwater Pollution Plan'. "This Government is seeking to strip back freshwater protections across the board - despite the fact that New Zealanders across the entire political spectrum want to see more protection for freshwater, not less." "The Government must end all subsidies for irrigation infrastructure immediately, and ensure freshwater pollution from the intensive dairy industry is stopped at the source."
