Vigils held in support of clean water

Willow Bailey, 6, and Parekaarewa Huata, 11, holding candles at the 'Vigil for Water' in Havelock North last night. Photo/Ruby Harfield

Havelock North residents united in support of clean water at a candlelit vigil last night.

The 'Vigil for Water' was held at the fountain on Te Aute Rd with simultaneous events in Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin to send a message to central and regional governments that communities and the environment needed clean water.

More than 50 people attended the gathering, which included speeches, a band, banners and the lighting of individual candles, just over a year since Havelock North's water was contaminated with campylobactor.

David Mackintosh, whose wife Kerry developed Guillain-Barre syndrome from campylobacter last July, spoke at the occasion.

"I think the water issue is far, far broader than just confining it to bores."

Water - including bores, lakes and rivers - needed to be thought of as a whole system because it was all connected and needed to be clean for everyone, he said.

Choose Clean Water's Marnie Prickett, who also spoke, said water was a national issue that was in the forefront of many people's minds.

"All over the country we're really thinking about water and thinking about respecting water."

One of the organisers, Michaela Evans, said the country's most important assets were its people and its environment, both of which needed clean water.

"Safe water sustains life and we cannot live, let alone thrive, without it.

"Through this vigil, we hope to empower people around the country to keep speaking up until we see the changes that will prevent such an terrible event happening again."

Hawke's Bay Regional Councillor Paul Bailey attended the vigil and said he was disappointed the crisis had to happen for people to think more about fresh water.

"It's really sad that 5500 people had to get sick and there had to be some people pass away for people to really wake up to what's happening with our fresh water."

Lois Nairn said she attended the event because she did not want her community to have to go through anything like last year's outbreak again.

"We just care about the water, we want it healthy."

The vigils around the country were organised as a peaceful and quiet way to reflect, be involved and support others with the same concerns.

In Havelock North, everyone went back to St Luke's Anglican Church following the event to have hot soup to warm up.