Saturday, September 15, 2001
Residents in Te Anau will soon be benefiting from a major upgrade to the town's water system.
Plan on hold while water concerns aired
The Marlborough Water Augmentation Group is putting its resource consent hearings on hold while it tries to sort out differences with Rapaura water users.
Raw sewage spills into Capital's harbour
Several hundred thousand litres of raw sewage spilled into the central Wellington waterfront yesterday after a sewage main broke just before midnight on Wednesday. The spill meant the opening event of Clean-Up New Zealand Week had to be postponed.
Fencing stream buffer zones
Mike Horgan on his South Hillend property. In the background Maurice Rodway and Fiona Young admire Mr Horgan's ideal buffer zone protecting a stream from grazing cattle.
The water in the Boggyburn Stream running through Mike Horgan's dairy farm was absolutely beautiful, Federated Farmers Southland president John Morrison said.
Kiwi environmental lawyer dies In Pennsylvania plane crash
"Alan was an environmental champion whose numerous successful prosecutions have markedly improved water quality throughout California. The environmental bar has lost one of its brightest stars."
Environment: Pointers given on runoff strategy
Best farm management practices had to be found to minimise the environmental problems of nitrate leaching and phosphorus runoff into waterways, agricultural scientist Doug Edmeades said yesterday.
Objectors closed down
An Auckland High Court decision has shut down the ratepayer group that fought for 12 years against council’s proposal for reticulated sewerage at Cooks Beach.
The court granted an application by Cooks Beach Developments to put Cooks Beach Ferry Landing Ratepayers Association into liquidation. The liquidation follows the association’s failure to pay $5000 court costs to Cooks Beach Developments.
Thursday, September 13, 2001
Boost for farm values in big Canterbury scheme
Promoters of a massive $200 million irrigation scheme for the Canterbury Plains using water from the Rakaia River have released more details of its technical feasibility but the chairman of Central Plains Water Ltd, Doug Marsh, says a number of significant issues remain unresolved.
Not least of these issues is where the money is going to come from but the mainly dairy farming interests who appear to be behind the proposal are likely to see their property values enhanced if the scheme goes ahead.
Water resources under threat in NZ
Eastern coastal rivers, particularly in Canterbury, are under huge pressure and some no longer flow to the sea in summer. Ground water is also being raised at an exponential rate to cope with dairying, viticulture and cropping on formerly dry farming areas.
The Resource Management Act is not proving effective in protecting the environment. Consents are granted to many applications, that in its jargon have "minor" effects on the environment.
Water industry future in Australia - A Federal view Bernard Wonder:
Water is critical to Australia's economic performance and is an essential element underpinning the social fabric of both our urban and rural communities.
Saturday, September 08, 2001
Debate continues over Rangitata River water plans
Dire predictions about the effects of Environment Canterbury's submission on a Rangitata River water conservation order were wildly off base, regional council chairman Richard Johnson said yesterday.
Water quality a priority for candidate
Calls from an Environment Canterbury candidate for improvements to South Canterbury's waterways have been echoed by locals.
Views mixed on rivers call
Environmentalists are praising city business leaders for speaking out over the state of Canterbury's waterways – but farmers say they should clean up their own back yard.
Council to proceed with Rangitata plan
Environment Canterbury is proceeding with a regional plan for the Rangitata River even though some or all of its contents could be overturned if a water conservation order for the river is put in place.
Fluoridation confusion reigns
Confusion reigned at a Clutha mayoral candidates' debate on Wednesday when the issue of town water fluoridation came up.
Clutha Mayor Juno Hayes said Balclutha water was not fluoridated.
The other mayoral candidate Vanessa Robertson-Briggs said a council staff member had assured her it was.
Water decision angers candidates
The Nelson City Council's decision to push on with a new $26 million water treatment plant has angered several mayoral and council candidates who say all the options have not been considered.
City slick over oil wastage
Sound progress is being made to prevent oil from entering Rotorua’s sewer and stormwater drain systems.
Water metering supported
A cautious call in support of water metering in urban as well as rural areas proved something of a watershed issue at last Sunday's Focus Marlborough Community Convention, writes The Marlborough Express in an editorial.
Here was a public meeting, the third annual gathering of decision-makers and interested members of the public, making a call to have curbs on water use.
Four years ago, such a suggestion put at a public meeting would have been shouted down.
Leaks all plugged, holes all barred. Feilding again
Staff from Manawatu District Council and Heartland Contractors were relieved to learn last week that no further holes had been found in newly laid water pipes.
The laying of a multi-million dollar pipleine linking two bores at Newbury Line and Campbell Road with Feilding water main in Kimbolton Road suffered a series of setbacks with the discovery of holes drilled in the several pipes.
Finding a better way to solve conflicts in our water management methods
The issue of access to freshwater courses and usage of their water has been a vexed one in this country over many years, writes ACT MP Gerry Eckhoff.
War of words continues over 'dirty cow' debate
Dairy farming has been criticised by the New Zealand Fish and Game Council for its effects on waterways and freshwater fishing, but the situation is too complex to be captured by simple slogans such as "dirty dairying."
Suspected water leak problem for council
A suspected major leak in Dunedin's water network is proving a headache for city council staff.
For the 2000-01 year, just under three million cubic metres of water was lost from the annual supply of 16.1 million cu m.
Water for Survival among aid support recipients
The Government is providing $6.9m to New Zealand non-government organisations for overseas development projects through the New Zealand Official Development Assistance (NZODA) programme, Associate Foreign Affairs Minister Matt Robson announced today.
"Grants have been approved to support work by: Caritas, Christian World Service, Oxfam NZ, Save the Children NZ, Tear Fund, Water for Survival, and World Vision, says Matt Robson.
DOC appeals irk ratepayers, Otago Regional Council says
Otago Regional Council ratepayers are becoming upset at the Department of Conservation because its appeals against the council's proposed water plan are costly, council chief executive Graeme Martin says.
Energy Savings In Hot Water
Innovation from a Tauranga company could help New Zealanders dramatically reduce electricity bills.
Friday, September 07, 2001
Kagoshima Report (pdf)
Rob Lorden, chair of the Auckland lifelines group, reports of a visit to the Japanese City of Kagoshima which regularly gets a volcanic dusting. How they cope and lessons for New Zealand water untilities.
Tuesday, September 04, 2001
An Environment Canterbury (ECan) report slams the Christchurch City Council's application to dump treated sewage into the Avon-Heathcote Estuary.
The report, a slap in the face for the city council, says the application for a 15-year resource consent should be declined because of the lack of evidence on the effects of the bacteria and nutrients on fish and birds.
Christchurch eastury effluent discharge - Decline says officers report on consent.
The ECan officers' report says a 15-year consent sought by the city council to pump up to 500,000 cumecs of treated wastewater into the Avon-Heathcote estuary every day should be declined.
Sunday, September 02, 2001
Councillors want water decision delayed
Nelson's controversial proposed water treatment plant will be put on hold indefinitely if two Nelson city councillors get their way.
War of words continues over 'dirty cow' debate
The war of words continues as the region's dairy farmers and Fish and Game New Zealand debate environmental issues concerning the industry and Southland waterways. Today Fish and Game New Zealand director Bryce Johnson and New Zealand Dairy Research Institute general manager environment Dr Jim Barnett exchange fire.
Upgrade will make Blenheim river bank more accessible
They are not duck ponds, wetlands or a public paddling pool. The two water-filled ponds on the Taylor River bank near Henry St are all to do with the stormwater works being carried out on Henry St.
Firm folds, blames wastewater rules
Another Lower Hutt business says it's being forced to close because of Hutt City Council's new wastewater restrictions and charges.
Dairying disputes get dirty
The dairy industry is under attack. Environmental groups say farmers are polluting waterways and threatening not only New Zealand's clean, green image, but their own livelihoods.
Sewerage an issue for North Shore health board election
Peter McQueen, the former leader of the working party, which devoted its time to helping fix the sewers on the Shore, is also a contender. And also on the list is Trevor Courtier, who names himself as standing for Sewage First.
Electricity Complaints Commission coming soon - Model for water?
Electricity consumers will soon be able to take problems with their
electricity company to a new Electricity Complaints Commissioner.
Electricity industry representatives met in Energy Minister Pete Hodgson's office today to sign a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of the complaints scheme, which is required by the Government's Power Package electricity reforms.
Tuesday, August 28, 2001
M-co ll Electricity ll Weekly Market Summary
Power prices monitor
Sunday, August 26, 2001
Water Conservation Saves Power
There is a direct relationship between water useage and power useage, Stuart Duncan, General Manager Asset Management told Hutt City Council at its penultimate meeting last night.
"If water use could, for example, be reduced by 10 per cent, then the amount of power needed to run the water supply system would be reduced by a similar amount,"said Mr Duncan.
Efforts To Keep Bromley Odour Down
All efforts are being made by the Christchurch City Council to minimise the odour from the Waste Water Treatment Plant at Bromley.
The station is half-way through a $33.7 million upgrade and some odour is escaping at present because one of the trickling filters needs to be taken out of service so that new connections can be made to the pipe feeding it.
Good news in pipeline
Tests on sections of Feilding's newly laid water pipe reveal the damage caused by a drill-weilding vandal may not be as extensive as initially feared.
Fluoridation - a local body election issue
Fluoridation of water supplies is an issue guaranteed to enliven an election, so how about local body candidates being asked to say where they stand, says an editorial in the Manawatu Evening Standard.
Health Minister Annette King once wrote to the country's local authorities, asking those that hadn't flouridated to think about it, and for her troubles copped a fair lambasting up and down the land.
Clean Up New Zealand Week
Sept 17-23
Health board backs fluoridation
Unanimous support for fluoridation of water supplies throughout the Bay of Plenty has been recently expressed by the Bay of Plenty District Health Board.
Irrigation means life for farmers caught in drought
It has also become apparent from long-range forecasts that Central Otago and arid parts of the Waitaki and the east coast of Otago are not likely to receive any more rainfall than they do now. The probability is they will receive much less.
Land, water quality hold key to the race
Land sustainability and water quality are shaping up as the issues the race for election to Environment Southland will be won and lost on.
Strength in Auckland super city's numbers
The present structure lacks logic. Where is the sense in having four or more local bodies controlling services such as roads and sewerage that traverse their collective boundaries?
Monday, August 20, 2001
Local Govt Rating Bill
Bill to replace local body water charging powers introduced.
Govt Should Listen To Rotorua Lakes Petitioners
ACT New Zealand Deputy Leader Ken Shirley welcomes the petition of 14,000 concerned New Zealand residents urging that the Rotorua Lakes remain in Crown ownership and says the Government must listen to the concerns.
"The Government must take a leadership role and end such Maori claims for ownership and control of resources such as air, water, the seabed, sunlight and the electro-magnetic spectrum.
Dairy Industry Environmental Policies fall short
New dairy industry environmental policies fall a long way short of improving the industry's environmental performance, Environment Minister, Marian Hobbs, said today.
Marian Hobbs says many of New Zealand's waterways were in a poor state of health and urgent action was needed if significant improvement was to be made. The continuing use of traditional dairy farming methods and the rapid expansion of the industry in certain areas were contributing to the problem, she said.
Waitakere City Council Close Down Water Protest
On Thursday August 9th Citizens against Privatisation organised a rally opposing user pays for water and promoting a water charge boycott in Waitakere City. On August 9th Waitakere City Council sent enforcement officers to the rally with the sole intention of closing it down. Parking tickets were issued and noise control bylaws were enforced. Council officers'' even attempted to confiscate the groups' sound equipment. The police were also present.
Innovative water management by North Shore
Forest and Bird welcomes innovative water management by North Shore City Council
Forest and Bird today congratulated North Shore City Council for their initiative to provide incentives to residents to install rainwater tanks.
Harvesting stormwater
Alternative stormwater management techniques are being explored by Auckland City and will be tested in several new Council developments.
World faces worsening water crisis
A worldwide water shortage is likely to worsen severely over the next 25 years with billions of people affected by an unprecedented global crisis affecting the Earth's most precious natural resource.
Farmers hit back at call for fencing
Southland's Federated Farmers representatives have hit back at a call for rules making farmers fence off their stock from waterways.
Sewer repair shock
A second inspection of new repairs to the Devonport sewers shows more faults in the work.
Water pipe delayed by criminals
Superstitious people might be starting to think Feilding is doomed to an eternity of water crises, says an editorial in the Manawatu Evening Standard.
'Idiot vandals' costing millions
Each hole in Feilding's vandalised new water pipeline will cost more than $500 to fix.
Lake spill in bid to save birds
State generator Meridian Energy wasted millions of litres of valuable hydro water in a misguided effort to protect rare birds nesting downstream of its main storage lake.
Saturday, August 18, 2001
The high cost of cleaner water for Nelson
That there have been four boil water notices in the past six years is an indictment of the city's supply, more so in that Nelson works hard to sell itself as a clean, green city and a destination for overseas and domestic tourists to enjoy unspoiled nature.
Ashburton irrigators water use defended
Federated Farmers Mid Canterbury president Stuart Wilson dismissed talk of returning what is the most modified river in the country to a natural habitat.
"The river is now a flood channel and that's what the residents of Ashburton want," he said.
Thursday, August 16, 2001
Proposed Shower Rose Strategy
Strategy for introduction of low flow shower heads in Aus. Water and energy savings substantial.
Saturday, August 11, 2001
Water meters? No thanks say Picton ratepayers
Picton and Waikawa ratepayers could be forced to install water meters if the Marlborough District Council accepts a suggestion from consultants investigating the area's water supplies.
The deputy mayor of Auckland has welcomed a proposal for financial incentives for urban homes to have rainwater tanks
Council still testing bores
It will be August 20 at least before the public is informed about arsenic levels in Tangimoana's bore water, and whether there is any health risk.
Farmer to be prosecuted by regional council
Environment Canterbury is to prosecute a South Canterbury farmer alleged to have taken water illegally from the Waihao River.
Irrigation scheme set to recharge Eyreton wells
Dry wells in the Eyreton area may soon get a welcome recharge with water from the Waimakariri Irrigation scheme.
Inglewood residents will be asked again whether they want fluoride to be added to their water supply.
Drought: Water harvesting potential solution
Water harvesting could be the answer to farmers' summer water supply problems in the Wairarapa, according to the Masterton business enterprise group.
Beating back the bugs in Dunedin's water system
Micro-organisms such as giardia will not get a look in when the latest technology is installed at Dunedin's new southern water treatment plant.
Irrigation nitrate level fears raised
Introducing irrigation in the Waimakariri District might increase its problems with nitrate levels in groundwater, a district planning officer warns.
Farmers discuss water issue
Key players in the dairy industry are considering how much of its political clout will be put behind South Canterbury farmers in their quest for water.
Police investigate Auckland water bill protestors
Police are involved in a council crackdown on residents refusing to pay their water bills.
Officers are investigating two cases where supporters of the Citizens Against Privatisation group are suspected of illegally connecting to the city supply.
Water features in consents hearing
Water monitoring was a requirement of almost every farm resource consent application approved by the Environment Southland consent committee meeting, in Invercargill, yesterday.
Steam rises over water claims
A Hamilton water treatment system company is outraged by a Consumers' Institute report which claims its products don't work.
Deadly micro-organism found, boil water warning issued
A potentially deadly micro-organism has been found for the first time in New Zealand in a stream in rural Franklin, south of Auckland.
Yesterday the Auckland District Health Board was urging all households nationwide connected to an untreated water supply, to disinfect or boil water used for drinking and for washing food.
Sewage pipe tenders to be called
Tenders for the pipeline that will carry sewage from Temuka, Geraldine and Pleasant Point to the Seadown ocean outfall should be called by the end of this year.
Disease risk in (not so) hot water
People who turn down the temperature on their hot-water cylinders to save power could be putting themselves at risk of Legionnaire's disease.
Prof Walker on phosohate pollution
The amount of phosphate in the ground water which we may tap for domestic purposes is no health problem, unlike high levels of nitrate, but when it gets into river water and lakes it may stimulate growth of nitrogen-fixing algae and hasten eutrophication.
Clean-up crunch gives urgency to pipe dreams
Sparkling, safe waters in Auckland streams and harbours? Yes, it will happen some time, at great cost, reports PHILIP ENGLISH.
Friday, August 10, 2001
NZ - Killer bacteria found in drinking water
A dangerous bug that can cause severe illness and even death has been discovered in drinking water in South Auckland.
The strain of the bacterium E. coli, known as VTEC, was found in a stream used by farms for drinking water in the Franklin district - the first time it has been detected in public water in New Zealand.
Sunday, August 05, 2001
Call for councils to encourage use of water tanks
Forest and Bird has called on councils in cities to provide incentives for households to install rainwater tanks.
Forest and Bird’s conservation manager Eric Pyle said rainwater for everyday tasks such as watering the garden would decrease water demand and reduce drawdown on reservoirs.
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