Join your local water action network
From the smallest towns to the suburbs of Christchurch, people across Canterbury are advocating for safe drinking water and swimmable rivers. Will you join us?
Everybody, no matter where they live or who they vote for, deserves access to clean safe drinking water. But in Canterbury, the hotspot of the freshwater crisis in Aotearoa, many communities do not have access to safe drinking water.
We’re working across Canterbury to ensure that communities have access to safe drinking water, and can go swimming in local lakes and rivers. Will you join us?
What is the Greenpeace Water Action Network? What do they do?
The water action network is a collection of water advocacy groups based in Canterbury communities. It is made up of groups of local community members who come together to advocate for safe, healthy drinking water and swimmable rivers.
Greenpeace supports these groups with in-person and online training, monthly zoom calls to connect with others in Canterbury, advice on how to pressure local politicians, and resources to use for campaigning.
Currently, we are working to establish groups in each of the Environment Canterbury wards. We are also supporting the work of two local groups working to campaign against nitrate in drinking water in Darfield and Oxford. If you would like to join one of these groups, please let us know!
Why is Greenpeace working on fresh water in Canterbury?
Everyone in New Zealand should be able to safely drink the water coming out of the kitchen tap, or take a swim in lakes and rivers. But pollution from intensive dairy is putting fresh water at risk in two major ways.
Synthetic nitrogen fertiliser and dairy cow effluent is polluting groundwater, lakes, and rivers, leading to unswimmable rivers and contaminated drinking water. Meanwhile, irrigation is sucking water from rivers, causing them to dry up, while also leading to an increase in dairying. Nowhere is this worse than in Canterbury.
As a regional council, Environment Canterbury has a responsibility to protect the health of lakes, rivers and sources of drinking water, which is increasingly under threat from dairy pollution. If you believe that access to safe healthy drinking water is a fundamental human right, then we need you to stand alongside us and demand action.
From the smallest towns to the biggest cities, people across Aotearoa are already taking action to protect fresh water. Will you join us?
Where can I learn more about Greenpeace’s fresh water campaign?
Greenpeace has been campaigning on fresh water for many years. You can find out more about our current work to protect fresh water here.
How can I join the water action network in Canterbury?
Join one of our orientation zoom calls or in person workshops to find out more and get involved. You can sign up for these by heading to this link below.
Find out more how you can get involved in the Canterbury Water Action Network
Sign up for a zoom call now!There is no water group in my area, how do I set one up myself?
If you would like to set up your own water action group, we are more than happy to help!
Join one of our orientation calls and let us know, or email [email protected].
How can I take action with Greenpeace on fresh water?
There are several ways you can take action on fresh water with Greenpeace.
- If you’re based in Canterbury, you can join the Water Action Network calling for a commitment to freshwater protection from Environment Canterbury in the upcoming local elections.
- If you’re based elsewhere, you can sign our petition calling on the Government to leave the current freshwater protections alone.
- You can request a free drinking water test for nitrate contamination here, and help us build on New Zealand’s most comprehensive nitrate contamination database.