Three billboards protest pollution in Canterbury's Selwyn River

Thursday, 13 February 2020

In February, Greenpeace put three billboards into the algae-filled Selwyn River in Canterbury calling for the Government to cap fertiliser use as part of its freshwater reforms.

Bright red billboards calling for action to clean up the country's rivers cut a striking contrast to the green toxic algae of Canterbury's Selwyn River.

The three signs were put up by frustrated Greenpeace members calling for the Government to limit how much synthetic fertiliser farmers can use as part of its upcoming fresh water reforms.

The environmental activists fear the Government will buckle under pressure from farmers to back down on planned reforms.

One of the causes of the algae in the Selwyn River is nutrients from fertiliser, but there is more than one cause.

Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor has said he expected changes to the freshwater proposals after receiving 17,000 submissions.

**READ MORE:

Greenpeace has put up three billboards in the algae-filled Selwyn River to 'remind the Prime Minister of the promises she made about New Zealand waterways' as the Government works through its freshwater reforms.

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* Toxic bacteria found in Canterbury's Selwyn River

* Three billboards outside Ashburton, Canterbury**

The algae in the Selwyn is phormidium, a type of cyanobacteria or slime which is toxic to humans and other animals. It grows in a thick mat in fast moving water and has a distinct smell that attracts dogs, which can die if they eat it.

Greenpeace fears the government will buckle under pressure from farmers.

The Selwyn and Ashley rivers are particularly bad for it over summer.

Sections of the Selwyn River have had algae warnings in place since December, something which has become an annual occurrence in recent years.

Though there is some debate over its causes, scientists recognise nitrogen and other nutrients from fertilisers is a factor.

Campaigner Gen Toop said the billboards were trying to make sure the Prime Minister knew a cap on synthetic fertiliser use had to be a key part of the new rules. Anything less would render the reforms 'meaningless'.

The billboards echo the protest featured in the movie Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri which also inspired the National Party in 2018 to erect three billboards calling for the four-laning of State Highway 1 between Christchurch and Ashburton.

Yesterday, Toop said the country needed to see the Prime Minister realise her promises to clean up rivers.

Ardern has been a advocate for cleaning up the country's waterways, even writing an opinion piece on Stuff before the election in 2017 that said we faced 'third world water issues, right on our doorstep' and that 'we can and should turn our water crisis around'.

One of Labour's ambitions is to clean up New Zealand's water: its website says the party will 'restore our rivers and lakes to a truly swimmable state within a generation'.

Ardern's office referred questions to Environment Minister David Parker, who said the Government was advancing a plan to clean up the country's waterways.

'We have to quickly stop freshwater quality getting worse, and then reverse past damage. We need to start now, otherwise it will take longer, cost more and be harder to fix.

'Improving water quality is part of our governing agreements with NZ First and the Greens. We all campaigned for that and we are delivering.'

The Government expected to decide the 'final shape' of the new freshwater regulations in the first half of this year and to have regulations in force by mid-year, Parker said.

The proposed reforms aimed to cut water contamination, mandate all farmers and councils to have freshwater plans by 2025.

Diary NZ warns the proposals could see the country's GDP fall $6 billion by 2050 due to a loss of farming productivity.

Environment Canterbury chief scientist Tim Davie said phormidium was a natural, native species found nationwide. It had become more common in the last 20 years but was still not well understood.

Nutrients from farming was one cause, but higher temperatures could also contribute, Davie said.

In a separate issue, two popular swimming spots in the river have permanent no swim warnings due to E coli contamination, indicating animal faeces have been flushed off paddocks during heavy rain.

Land Air Water Aotearoa (LAWA), which provides advice on where it's safe to swim, said Selwyn River sites at Coes Ford and Selwyn Huts have 'a history of poor or highly variable water quality'.

Late last year, Selwyn Huts resident Graeme Young said the river had been 'Chernobylised'.

'It's gut-wrenching really, to be in a place that potentially is just a fantastic place for Kiwis to bring their kids and splash around in the water, and now they can't do that.'