From arsenic to our taps

By ELIZABETH BINNING

In its raw form Auckland's new supply of drinking water contains hundreds of undesirable elements, including arsenic, boron, giardia, salmonella, pesticides, sewage and toxic algae.

The bugs and chemicals are enough to make you violently ill and health officials have warned people against swimming in the source - the Waikato River.

Next month, water from that same murky brown river will merge with the rest of Auckland's drinking supply - but only after going through one of the Southern Hemisphere's most sophisticated treatment plants, which will remove all but three of the original contaminants.

Environment Waikato scientist Bill Vant said studies in the United States showed up to 87,000 contaminants could lurk in rivers like the Waikato, but most are of little cause for concern.

"The potential list is huge, but practically speaking most of those things are very likely to be harmless."

Recent Watercare tests carried out on the Waikato River found more than 200 contaminants, including bacteria, metals, algae, chemicals, herbicides and pesticides - but after treatment only three chemicals remained.

Bacteria like giardia and cryptosporidium, and potentially fatal chemicals were destroyed at various stages of the treatment process. Algae and manmade chemicals were reduced to non-detectable levels.

Only traces of boron, nitrate and arsenic remained in the treated water - all at Ministry of Health compliance levels.

Still, debate continues in Auckland about the use of the Waikato River as a drinking water source.

Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons has called for the Ministry of Health to put a halt on the project, following British studies showing gender altering hormones in river water.

Watercare and Environment Waikato said the Waikato water was safe and hormone concerns were unfounded.

"Environmental oestrogens are not detectable in the Waikato River," said Mr Vant.

"They are not a serious concern for New Zealand in the way that they are in most of the world."

In the meantime sceptical Aucklanders are busy looking for an alternative source of water.

Some companies have reported an increase in the number of people inquiring about water purifiers, citing major concerns about the source of their new water.

Pippa Pettigrew, director of Contamination Control, one of Auckland's biggest domestic water purifiers and commercial water cooler suppliers, said about 10 per cent of the people looking to buy purifiers mentioned the Waikato River. Other companies, like The Warehouse, which is ordering more carbon jug filters, expected an increase in sales once the water actually started pumping into Auckland.