Source: Greenpeace
New data published yesterday by StatsNZ shows about half of groundwater monitoring sites had contamination that exceeded maximum health limits for New Zealand at least once between April 2019 and March 2024.
Over that period, 45.1% of sites exceeded the maximum acceptable level for E. coli, and 12.4% for nitrate – a contaminant linked to cancer and preterm births.
The alarming figures have been revealed less than a month after the Luxon Government released proposals to further weaken freshwater protections.
Greenpeace freshwater campaigner Will Appelbe says the proposals show the Government is knowingly sacrificing the health of rural communities to appease corporate dairy and Federated Farmers.
“While he should be ensuring that everyone has access to clean drinking water and swimmable rivers, Luxon has instead proposed scrapping the cap on synthetic nitrogen fertiliser. This rule exists to prevent further nitrate contamination and protect people’s health.”
“His Government also wants to prioritise corporate uses of water over safe drinking water and healthy rivers.”
“The Government’s job is to safeguard public health – not bankroll big dairy.”
A cap on the use of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser was introduced in 2021, which was set at 190 kg/hectare. As part of the National Direction proposals for freshwater, the Luxon Government has proposed repealing this cap, along with other changes that weaken environmental protections and benefit irrigation companies and intensive dairy. Consultation on the proposals are open until 27 July 2025.
The current maximum allowable value (MAV) for nitrate is 11.3 mg/L, which was set in the 1950s to avoid blue baby syndrome. But this standard has been criticised by health scientists for being woefully out of date, because it doesn’t take into account newer health science that finds health risks like preterm birth and cancer at much lower levels.
“The science is clear, and the stakes are high. Luxon needs to decide if he’s governing for people – or polluters.”
