This letter appeared in one of Southlands local newspapers and reflects concerns held by many of us about the quality of the water we are offered for drinking by our local authorities.
Dear Editor
If our drinking water comes from the Aparima river and that same river is where ooze from dairy farms, old dumps and Otautau ends up, is it safe for drinking? I only ask because sometimes the tap water smells funny.
Thirsty
Our lowland rivers are not in good condition and much needs to be done to improve them. My research into water polishing systems using aquatic plants, reed beds and riparian plantings and the practical projects I have completed mean that I have very strong opinions about the water available to Southlanders for drinking. This is one area where I can offer a great deal to the council. I would call for immediate action on non-point discharge into our rivers and more accurate monitoring of streams that feed the main rivers. How challenging it would be to land users to have to draw their drinking water from a point down stream of their property! That would result in some very quick changes to effluent and fertiliser management.
Dear Editor
If our drinking water comes from the Aparima river and that same river is where ooze from dairy farms, old dumps and Otautau ends up, is it safe for drinking? I only ask because sometimes the tap water smells funny.
Thirsty
Our lowland rivers are not in good condition and much needs to be done to improve them. My research into water polishing systems using aquatic plants, reed beds and riparian plantings and the practical projects I have completed mean that I have very strong opinions about the water available to Southlanders for drinking. This is one area where I can offer a great deal to the council. I would call for immediate action on non-point discharge into our rivers and more accurate monitoring of streams that feed the main rivers. How challenging it would be to land users to have to draw their drinking water from a point down stream of their property! That would result in some very quick changes to effluent and fertiliser management.
7 comments:
This is where it really counts for me - at the tap, where I get my drinking water. The letter writer, 'Thirsty' is correct, the water often smells unpleasant. Can the sources of pollution of our rivers be traced and dealt with? I'd like to see a real line-in-the-sand drawn and polluters kept to it. This is a real issue for all of us.
Was this out Thornbury way? I know where the inlet is and it is worth a visit in midsummer - you would feel sick to see the water- green, slimy, you wouldn't let your dog in it. There must be a hell of a lot of work done to get it ready to go through the taps.
Are filters any good? I was giving my kids bottled water (expensive!) but I shouldn't have to, rain would be best but this house doesn't have a tank. Sometimes I collect it in a bowl when it rains, but it's a lot of effort. In the town anyway, what about soot and dust and that?
What doesnt kill you only makes you stronger... or brown with the stuff forming in the river if you swim at Whitegates (1-2k above the bridge at Waipango)
Your blog is listed with this site for elections all around the country. This is good for Southland, thouth there are no others. The rest of the country must be thinking that we are slow to use technology!
http://myelectionlinks.blogspot.com/
Keep up your letters to the editor of the Times. You'd be surprised how many people read those!
My dog won't drink water from the tap here. He'll drink from puddles, even the lid of the rubbish bin but you put a bowl of tap water in front of him, he won't touch it.
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