River Care's King Country water testing shows local water quality is improving
Tests suggest water quality is improving in the King Country, but a national report paints a more challenging picture.
King Country River Care members met at Piopio last week to discuss water quality risks and solutions.
River Care sub catchment groups have been testing water quality since early 2021 to determine levels of nitrates, phosphorus, e.coli and water clarity.
Latest results showed improvement in most areas and increasing biodiversity in the ecosystems.
The tests were initiated to get a better understanding of water quality over the region because testing done by Waikato Regional Council was limited.
At the same time, it was revealed that numbers used in the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 are such that even if the country’s agriculture was closed down, the national bottom lines for e.coli and sediment would not be achievable.
A review, by independent environmental consultants Torlesse Environmental Ltd, found up to 38 percent of rivers would still not meet the suspended fine sediment national bottom lines.
Beef and Lamb New Zealand wants changes to the sediment and e.coli attributes and national bottom lines following the release of the review, which it says shows the way they were determined was flawed, they are not achievable, and trying to achieve them will decimate farming and rural communities.
