Water

ISSUE IN BRIEF:

Here in Hawke’s Bay our fragile dependence on clean, ample, dependable water supplies is driven home more and more each day.

But would you know that from the policies practised by our councils? Probably not.

Instead, we seem hell-bent on adding more sub-divisions, more vineyards … more growth. We can’t seem to get those consents and plan changes out the door fast enough. And meantime we just roll over consents for water takes because we don’t have the time or wherewithal to examine their sustainability.

What is really being done to ensure long term water supply viability for the region? Where are the plans for water storage and harvesting? Is water under-priced? What would serious water conservation incentives or regulations look like? What do we really know about the carrying capacity of our aquifers? Are water allocation schemes and policies outmoded?

And what about water quality? Crap (and worse) in the Tukituki and Mohaka is just skimming the surface, if you will. How many chemicals have we allowed to seep into our groundwater? Why do we settle for second-rate water treatment facilities? Why can’t we find polluters who dump ammonia into Ruahapia Stream? What happens if sea level rise presses salt water in and compromises fresh water?

The questions could go on.

BayBuzz intends to be relentless in our criticism of elected officials — and senior bureaucrats — who are ignorant, indifferent, intransigent, even on occasion hostile on issues of sustainable water management and water quality assurance. Because long before global warming does us in, short-sighted water policies will.

In this region, nothing is more precious for our governing councils to protect and enhance than our access to safe and reliable water. Our officials need to get on with it. And they need to do it collaboratively for the region … across council lines. We need water champions!

Resources:

1. Review these recent BayBuzz posts to catch up with the sorry state of water quality in the Tukituki …

2. Here are two documents regarding wastewater treatment. The first Rotorua Wastewater Treatment Plant describes how a community does the job right … in this case Rotorua. The second Dave Head on Napier Wastewater Treatment tells the opposite story … how Napier, following on the heels of Hastings, is in the process of bungling wastewater treatment.

What You Can Do:

The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council must take a more proactive and aggressive approach to protecting water quality in the Bay’s rivers, streams and lakes.

Go here to send an email message to HBRC Chairman Rex McIntyre, asking him to take stronger action on water quality.

Photo/Video Gallery:

Hoping to build a collection!