Pollution shocks water forum

Environment River Patrol Aotearoa kaitiaki Millan Ruka. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Delegates discover they swam in sea affected by stock effluent

Overseas visitors attending the Waitaha 2014 International Forum on Water at Waitangi earlier this month were dismayed to find the sea in which they were swimming was polluted with stock effluent, according to Environment River Patrol Aotearoa kaitiaki Millan Ruka.

He claims stock fouling unfenced waterways are a health hazard and threat to the Bay of Islands tourism industry.

Most of the 72 Americans, Australians, Germans, Dutch and Japanese attending the international water forum on October 15-22 had taken a dip at Waitangi as part of a ritual to join body and soul with te awa moana (the sea), Mr Ruka says in a report to the Northland Regional Council and Far North District Council.

His report points out how beef cattle with unrestricted access to the Puketotara (Watercress) Stream, crossed by State Highway 1 near the Puketona Junction, cause severe "detrimental effects" downstream at Waitangi and Paihia beaches.

Photographs of cattle fouling the stream were included in Mr Ruka's Powerpoint presentation to the water forum and had upset the foreign visitors.

"They were aghast and saddened they shared their souls with this polluted water," he says.

"We have a thriving cruise ship industry and Paihia still has another 12 ships to arrive this year. They come to swim at our clean beaches and soak up our green image.

"But on rainy days the sediment, cattle urine and excrement is a health hazard to our own people and a major risk to our tourism industry."

Mr Ruka says many Paihia residents have complained over the years about cattle waste affecting the beaches, and the Puketotara Stream or Watercress Stream, which flows into the sea via the Waiaruhe and Waitangi rivers, contributes to the beach pollution.

"Although the stream is named 'Watercress Creek', its Maori name on maps is Puketotara Stream," he says.

"It was once abundant with watercress, hence its adopted name. However, in recent years, it has been regularly sprayed to a point where watercress is almost non-existent near the bridge."

Regional council consents and monitoring manager Colin Dall said they had contacted the owner of the farm relating to the complaint, who had fenced sections of the farm adjacent to the stream but had not yet completed the work.

The council had provided the farmer with advice on funding options for completing the fencing.

"Initially, the council works with farmers and encourages them to fence off their farms from streams, providing advice on fencing and funding options," Mr Dall said.

"This includes funding from the council's environment fund, which has helped fund fencing of many kilometres of streams in Northland since its inception."

If farmers did no fencing and the environmental effects of stock access to waterways was significant, the council could take action under the Resource Management Act to require them to keep their stock out of the stream.

"To date, the council has taken such formal enforcement action as a last resort option," Mr Dall said.