Cows seen in the Tukituki River again by the quarantine paddock just downstream of Red Bridge yesterday morning. PHOTO/TIM WHITTAKER
Cows seen in the Tukituki River again by the quarantine paddock just downstream of Red Bridge yesterday morning. PHOTO/TIM WHITTAKER
Cows have been spotted in the Tukituki River despite efforts to discourage farmers from the practise after the gastro outbreak in August.
Photographer Tim Whittaker was driving back from a job last week and saw up to 60 cattle walking in the river.
"I pulled over and took a photoof it and uploaded it on to my Facebook page and it got a lot of attention, it sort of went nuts."
Mr Whittaker said he was annoyed and upset to see people not toeing the line.
"I live in Hastings and am passionate about the water issue. I am worried, as time goes on, it will become a thing of the past and we will forget about it. I put uploaded the photo so it stays in peoples' minds."
The council is working to put an end to this practise through a plan change but Mr Graham said this took time and he didn't expect it to be finalised until 2018.
"We are addressing the issue and this will be stopped eventually but, in the meantime, it is just sad people are ignoring the problem."
This change could mean all rivers and streams in the Tukituki catchment have to be fenced.
The issue caused a public outcry after the gastro outbreak in August when, although it wasn't the cause, the Tukituki was found to be filled with pollutants.
The river is a source of recharge for an aquifer which provides drinking water.
A more precautionary approach was wanted and councillor Tom Belford said earlier that photos of cows wading in the river provided a "vivid illustration" to where contaminants came from.
"Although they might not be the cause of the gastro outbreak, it signified an attitude toward what kind of protection was needed," Mr Belford said.
