Selwyn Times: May 05, 2021

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28 Selwyn Times Wednesday May 5 2021 SELWYN RURAL LIFE Nitrate testing after Water campaigner raises nitrate awareness A Selwyn water quality campaigner has needled a public body into providing free tests for nitrate in private water supplies. In a notice publicising the tests this month, Environment Canterbury says the issue of nitrate in our water has been in the news recently, with media reporting on public health specialists’ claims that the maximum allowable level should be much lower. “The Selwyn Waihora zone committee wants to ensure people on a private drinking water supply are aware they are responsible for testing their water and ensuring it is safe to drink, and are offering free nitrate testing at Environment Canterbury’s May drop-in sessions in Darfield and Leeston. If you wish to get your water tested for nitrate, just bring at least 500 ml of your tap water in a clean bottle rinsed with water, not detergent. Zone committee members will be there to offer advice on securing your water source.” The upcoming nitrate-testing sessions are Wednesday 5 May, 1-4 pm, Darfield Library; Tuesday 18 May, 1-4 pm, Leeston Library An ECan spokesman told Selwyn Times there was no specific testing or event that identified a need for tests in Leeston and Darfield per se. Private well owners were routinely advised to test for e.coli every few months and nitrate every year. However, the spokesman said Selwyn Waihora zone committee had identified a need to reinforce this message and decided to champion this following a letter to the committee last September by Mike Glover of Selwyn Waihora Water Improvement Mission (SWIMM). According to October 2020 meeting minutes, a zone committee workshop responding to Glover’s letter discussed how councils and zone committees “could get involved”. The body agreed it “could help ensure that real estate agents, councils, general practitioners and other health professionals… all contribute to getting information out there to people about the risks and the importance of having water tested regularly”. The group also agreed that in 2021 “it would be a good idea to host a number of information sessions and talk about nitrate monitoring, water testing, legislative changes and some of the issues raised by Mike”. The committee decided against having a presence at last September’s CultureFest but would consider this in 2021 and agreed to meet on the Taumutu marae in early 2021, where it would have conversations on Treaty Partnership and Te Mana o te Wai. It was agreed the November 2020 committee meeting would focus on the Waikirikiri / Selwyn River. For more information, visit https://www.lawa.org. nz/explore-data/groundwater-quality/ Firewood & Coal Coal 20 kg bags or 500kg bulk bags Firewood Pick up or deliver (delivery charges apply) Free delivery to Darfield township when 3 cubic metres or more is ordered. Landscape Products Now Available! • Forest Mulch • Bark Mulch • Bark Nuggets (10/20mm) • Premium Organic Compost • Screened Soil • Landscape Rocks • Paparoa Red Rock available in 3 grades • Railway Sleepers (2.1 Lengths) • Kindling Wood • Unscreened Bark Delivery fees apply. 417 Creyke Road, Darfield Phone 03 975 4502 Eftpos now available Open Monday to Friday 6am-6pm, Saturday 8am-1pm or after hours by appointment 3 TRUCKS 3 CARS 3 LUBES 3 SERVICING 3 FLEET WORK 3 BOATS 3 DIESEL INJECTOR & PUMP SERVICING 3 ENGINE TUNING Mon-Fri 7am-5pm Sat 8am-12pm (WOFs only) 3 BRAKES 3 MAXXIS TYRES 3 WHEEL ALIGNMENTS 3 BATTERIES 3 WOFs 3 CAMBELTS AND MUCH MORE! 839 Jones Road, Rolleston P.O. Box 16 Rolleston Phone Simon on 347 7110 or Mobile 027 272 9213
SELWYN RURAL LIFE Wednesday May 5 2021 Selwyn Times 29 activist dig Letter stirs action Selwyn water quality campaigner Mike Glover reminded the Selwyn Waihora committee he had been coming to their meetings on and off for the last five years or so as he was concerned about the state of the Selwyn River near his home. In a letter to the committee last September he wrote: “I’m still concerned about the river, but I’ve become even more concerned about the human health effects of nitrate pollution on the population of Selwyn, including on my family. With that in mind I’d like to tell you about what happened on Sunday August 23, [2020] when myself and a few other local SWWIM folks ran a Community Nitrate Testing session for private well owners at the Springston South Soldiers Memorial Hall in Springston South. “The testing was from 10am to 1pm and we were rushed off our feet at times as folk came in with their samples. Approximately 120 people visited, and we took over 90 tests on the NZ Federation of Freshwater Anglers hitech nitrate testing machine. Folk came from all over the district - Glentunnel, Hororata, Greendale, Kirwee, Rolleston, West Melton, Leeston, Doyleston, Dunsandel, Southbridge, Killinchy Springston, Lincoln, Prebbleton, Broadfield, Greenpark, and of course many locals from Springston South. Most of the water samples were from private wells on rural Selwyn properties. Of the 82 single well or river tests we took, 43 were over the 5mg/1 level and some people, when we told them their nitrate level was getting close to the government maximum acceptable value [MAV] of 11.3mg/l had no idea what it meant. We had to explain to them about the issue of Blue Baby Syndrome and gave away copies of the Canterbury Public Health brochure on this topic.” Glover said SWIMM members also told visitors about studies that suggested a link between much lower levels of nitrate in drinking water and colorectal cancer, and of the government science panel currently looking into this. “Other people, when told of their high levels were visibly upset. One woman was shocked to learn that the water she had been drinking for 30 years was now a danger to infants should they ingest it in their milk formula. We found that one farmer and his family were regularly drinking water that was close to the MAV nitrate level. He was recovering from a serious illness and seemed shell shocked as he told us that had to drink 3 litres of water a day for his compromised kidneys. The danger for someone like him is not necessarily the high nitrate but the increased risk of pathogens that come with elevated nitrate levels. With his damaged immune system, he could get even more unwell if he continued drinking that stuff.” Glover asked the zone committee, what is ECan’s or this committees plan to ensure people know about this and have adequate resources to test and treat their water if it is contaminated and what level of legal responsibility does ECan actually have? “ECan is supposed to be working with the Canterbury District Health board regarding health issues around water. What is the current state of play with that relationship and what will they actually do?- on the ground, to help the rural people of Selwyn navigate this burgeoning health crisis?,” he asked. “This committee spends a lot of time and energy on biodiversity and habitat restoration projects - which is important work. However, now it would seem urgent that we have leadership from this committee to ensure that time and energy now be spent on the people of the rural Selwyn habitat - preparing for and dealing with the present and increasing nitrate pollution,” Glover said. 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The Selwyn Times is delivered FREE each Wednesday, covering the latest local news and information with digital editions also available to view online at www.starnews.co.nz. CALL Lynette TODAY to discuss how she can help PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS to local Selwyn readers, or to the entire Canterbury district. Don’t forget to ask about our “Support Local” packages to assist the Covid Business recovery. We’re here to help! Contact Lynette DDI: 03 3647434 Mobile: 021 222 7831 Email: Lynette.Evans@starmedia.kiwi
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