North Canterbury News: August 31, 2023
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NEWS<br />
10 The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>August</strong> <strong>31</strong>, <strong>2023</strong><br />
Residents encouraged to have their wells<br />
tested for nitrates to ensure levels are safe<br />
By DAVID HILL,<br />
Local Democracy Reporter<br />
Private welltesting in the<br />
Waimakariridistrict hasfoundthere<br />
are no wellsabove the national<br />
standard for nitrate levels.<br />
But areportprepared by<br />
WaimakaririDistrict Council water<br />
environment adviser, Sophie Allen,<br />
foundseveral wells had nitrate<br />
concentrations exceedingthe limitset<br />
in PlanChange 7ofthe <strong>Canterbury</strong><br />
Rangiora<br />
June 7, 14, 21<br />
<strong>August</strong> 9, 16, 23, 30<br />
2584361<br />
Land and Water RegionalPlan.<br />
‘‘We arecontinuallyfindingthe<br />
wells we are testing in Eyreton and<br />
Cust are exceedingthe limit set in<br />
Plan Change 7,’’ Ms Allen said, at a<br />
recent utilities and roading<br />
committee meeting.<br />
‘‘It is about encouraginglandowners<br />
to agreetohave their wells tested.’’<br />
The maximumacceptable value for<br />
nitratenitrogen was 11.3 milligrams<br />
per litre, set in the Drinkingwater<br />
Standards for New Zealand (2022).<br />
But overseas studieshave suggested<br />
that levelistoo high.<br />
This prompted the Waimakariri<br />
Zone Committeetorecommend a<br />
median value of halfofthe maximum<br />
acceptable valueof5.65 mg/L,which<br />
has been set as atarget in Plan Change<br />
7.<br />
The councilbegan testing wells in<br />
2019, afterconcerns were raised by<br />
the zone committee, and as now<br />
testing around 40 private wells each<br />
year.<br />
Whilethe well testing was voluntary,<br />
changing national standardsmeant it<br />
couldbecome the council’s<br />
responsibility to act on unsafe<br />
drinking water in private wells in the<br />
future.<br />
The propertyowners took the<br />
samples themselves, usually in the<br />
spring, andsent themtothe council<br />
for testing.<br />
It meant there was no consistency,<br />
as some propertyowners sent in<br />
multiple samples, while others chose<br />
not to send any.<br />
Environment <strong>Canterbury</strong> has also<br />
been testing private wells throughout<br />
the region.<br />
Committee chairperson Cr Niki<br />
Mealings encouraged private well<br />
owners to submittotesting.<br />
‘‘It is not the end of the worldifthe<br />
numberscome backnot great, but it<br />
means there are things you need to do<br />
to ensure yourwater source is safe.<br />
Cr Paul Williams questioned if more<br />
could be donetobring newly subdivided<br />
properties on to council<br />
controlled water supplies.<br />
Three watersmanagerKalley<br />
Simpson said new property owners<br />
were offeredthe option of goingon to<br />
acouncil supply wherever possible.<br />
‘‘Where it is not arequirement to be<br />
on acouncil supply, they are entitled<br />
to put in an individual bore.<br />
‘‘I thinkthere is value for<br />
developers in their marketing to<br />
advertisethat thereispotential to<br />
have theirwater connectedtoa<br />
council supply.’’<br />
Acouncilbookletwas also included<br />
in LIMS reports explaining the<br />
ongoing maintenance requiredfor<br />
private water supplies.<br />
Publicinterest journalismfunded<br />
through New ZealandonAir.<br />
Draft Local Alcohol Policy approved<br />
How alcohol is bought,sold and where<br />
and when it can be consumed,are open<br />
for public consultation in the Hurunui<br />
District.<br />
The draft Local AlcoholPolicy (LAP)<br />
was approved at Council on Tuesday.<br />
By law, it the policy has to be reviewed<br />
every six years. The last LAP was<br />
adoptedin2017.<br />
Mayor Marie Black supported thedraft<br />
LAP, and complimented the industry<br />
stakeholders who took the opportunity to<br />
provide preconsultation feedback<br />
before it was tabled to council this week.<br />
The draft LAP has also been reviewed<br />
by the triagencies who are the<br />
regulatory agencypersonnel who work in<br />
the area of alcohol licensing, which<br />
include New Zealand Police (Nga<br />
PirihimanaOAotearoa),TeWhatu Ora<br />
(HealthNew Zealand Medical Officer of<br />
Health) and the HurunuiDistrict Chief<br />
Licensing Inspector.<br />
Mrs Black is expecting strong<br />
engagement from communities in<br />
Hurunui.<br />
“This consultation process is about<br />
increasing the ability for communities to<br />
be influential on the sale and supply of<br />
alcoholintheir communities,” said<br />
Mayor Black.<br />
To submit go online to hurunui.govt.nz/<br />
haveyoursay/consultations,email<br />
submission@hurunui.govt.nz, pick up a<br />
hard copy at service centres,orpost to<br />
PO Box 13, Amberley 7411.<br />
THE <strong>2023</strong> GENERALELECTION<br />
Enrol by 10 September<br />
to makevoting<br />
quick and easy.<br />
Do it online withyour<br />
NZ driverlicence or<br />
passport at vote.nz<br />
0800 36 76 56
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