Water is the 21st century gold

The Ngati Hau and Puhipuhi Mining Action Group (PMAG) has told the Northland Economic Advisory Group that the region has alternatives to the mining of minerals, and that Northland has a more precious commodity than gold that it should be exploiting for commercial gain.

"We have previously said how worried we are that any mining in the Puhipuhi catchment could lead to disturbance of the mercury that is embedded in the soils and rocks throughout that area, and could eventually leak into the hundreds of underground and above-ground waterways that flow down from Puhipuhi to eventually reach the Kaipara Harbour," PMAG co-ordinator Jenny Kirk said.

"We have said there is already far too much contamination and sedimentation going down these rivers, and this is polluting the Kaipara and damaging the snapper fishery.

"We would like to see a total change of attitude towards these waters. We would like to see them cleaned up, and used in a more environmentally-sustainable way. And so we proposed some economic alternatives to mining."

The advisory group was told that water was the 21st century gold, with climate change, and future droughts, making it doubly precious and not to be wasted.

"We have an abundance of dirty water currently damaging farm lands, our eel fishery and contaminating the Kaipara, as the rivers collect sediment along the way," Ms Kirk said.

"Clean water is the resource we need for substantial economic development in the North.

"We could turn around the thinking about the floods that happen regularly in the Hikurangi Swamp area, and use that water to build a large storage dam, and maybe another power station."

Local Maori had been transferring elvers from the Kaipara to waters further north, where they could grow to an edible size, with potential for a commercial eel fishery. Others had begun riparian planting around the Kaipara Harbour and along some rivers. It is known that riparian planting created a sheltering environment that developed clean habitat suitable for the growth of a variety of fish species.

"We suggested these local efforts could be expanded into a long-term plan to assist in cleaning up the waterways from the top of the Puhipuhi catchment, leading into the northern Kaipara," she added.

"We also talked about how this work could eventually provide enhanced tourism opportunities.

"We gave examples of government funding for similar works in other parts of the country, and we said investment in these sorts of projects would be much more sustainable, and provide many local job opportunities, than gold mining would ever do.

"We are still waiting to hear if there will be any take-up on these ideas."