Greenpeace Aotearoa is sounding the alarm over the nitrate level in Gore\u2019s town supply following the organisation\u2019s drinking water testing event held in the township today. <\/p>\n\n
The organisation found the town supply was at approximately 4.8 mg\/L nitrate contamination – approaching the level associated with an increased risk of preterm birth.<\/p>\n\n
Greenpeace spokesperson Will Appelbe says, \u201cHere in Gore, the town drinking water supply is contaminated with unacceptably high levels of nitrate, and it could be putting pregnant people at risk. Everyone, no matter where they live, should be able to safely drink the water out of their kitchen tap, but pregnant residents of Gore can\u2019t do that because of an increased risk of preterm birth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
\u201cThe intensive dairy industry, led by Fonterra, is responsible for worsening drinking water contamination in Aotearoa. In Canterbury, the regional council has already declared a nitrate emergency. Other areas of intensive dairying are likely to follow – especially Southland.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
\u201cWe have a clear instance of drinking water disparity here in Aotearoa. Rural New Zealanders have less access to safe, clean drinking water than those living in big cities – and that is absolutely unacceptable. People who have done nothing to contribute to the contamination are forced to clean up the water pollution caused by Fonterra\u2019s intensive dairying practices.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
\u201cUltimately, we need to stop nitrate pollution at the source. The Government must lower the cap on synthetic nitrogen fertiliser, and reduce the number of dairy cows allowed on the land. Ultimately, we need to transition away from intensive dairying, towards more ecological farming practices that protect people’s access to safe drinking water.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Greenpeace will be in Waimate and Darfield this weekend providing free drinking water testing. Details for these events are below.<\/p>\n\n
Waimate: Saturday 22nd November, Waimate Event Centre, 10am-4pm<\/p>\n\n
Darfield: Sunday 23rd November, Darfield Recreation Centre, 11am-4pm<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Greenpeace Aotearoa is sounding the alarm over the nitrate level in Gore\u2019s town supply, which has reached levels associated with reproductive risks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":90,"featured_media":63302,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_planet4_optimize_post_is_variant":false,"_planet4_optimize_experiment_name":"","_planet4_optimize_variant_name":"","ep_exclude_from_search":false,"p4_og_title":"","p4_og_description":"","p4_og_image":"","p4_og_image_id":"","p4_seo_canonical_url":"","p4_campaign_name":"","p4_local_project":"","p4_basket_name":"","p4_department":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[19,22,23],"p4-page-type":[7],"class_list":["post-74860","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-greenpeace","tag-food-and-farming","tag-freshwater","tag-health","p4-page-type-press-release"],"yoast_head":"\n