September 17th, 2024
Greenpeace Aotearoa is escalating its efforts to address the concerning levels of nitrate contamination in Canterbury's drinking water by announcing a series of free water testing events across the region.
The move comes in response to alarming test results revealing high nitrate levels in many areas, potentially posing significant health risks to the community, says Greenpeace.
The big picture: Following the release of its 'Know Your Nitrate' map last year, Greenpeace has received hundreds of requests for free mail-in drinking water testing, particularly from Canterbury. Many results indicated nitrate levels exceeding safe thresholds. The environmental group is now set to offer free testing in Darfield, Rangiora, and Culverden in April, aiming to empower rural communities with knowledge about their water quality.
Zoom in: Amanda Larsson, a spokesperson for Greenpeace, expressed concern over the access to clean, safe drinking water, especially for rural communities close to intensive dairy farming areas. She highlighted the direct correlation between the rise in dairy farming, increased use of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser, and the spike in nitrate contamination of groundwater. This contamination has been linked to health risks such as bowel cancer, preterm birth, and blue baby syndrome.
What they're saying: "Everyone has the right to access clean safe drinking water, but what we’ve seen over the past three years is that for many rural communities, access to healthy drinking water is being taken away," Larsson stated, underlining the urgency of addressing the contamination issue.
Driving the news: The free water testing events are scheduled for 19th April in Darfield, 20th April in Culverden, and 21st April in Rangiora. Greenpeace's initiative follows a pattern of increasing concern over water quality in New Zealand, with the organisation running over a dozen in-person testing events since 2021.
Why it matters: Research links even low levels of nitrate contamination to significant health concerns, with rural areas particularly at risk due to proximity to sources of contamination like intensive dairy farms. Greenpeace's efforts to provide free water testing aim to highlight and mitigate these risks, offering a crucial resource for communities navigating the challenges of ensuring safe drinking water.