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More farming means higher risk of outbreaks, Greenpeace warn

Author
Hannah Bartlett,
Publish Date
Sat, 27 Aug 2016, 6:45AM
Cattle in the Ngaruroro River, downstream from the Chesterhope Bridge, Pakowhai.
Cattle in the Ngaruroro River, downstream from the Chesterhope Bridge, Pakowhai.

More farming means higher risk of outbreaks, Greenpeace warn

Author
Hannah Bartlett,
Publish Date
Sat, 27 Aug 2016, 6:45AM

Greenpeace is calling bull on the Hastings Regional Council's plan to invest in the Ruataniwha Dam.

The group says the recent water contamination in Havelock North, which has made more than 4000 people unwell in the Hawke's Bay area, makes it clear the region has issues with water management, and people's health needs should be ahead of farming intensification.

The source of the campylobacter outbreak has not been traced yet, however it is suspected that cattle, sheep, or deer faeces may have caused contamination.

Cattle can freely walk into New Zealand rivers and defecate.

Genevieve Toop, an agriculture campaigner with Greenpeace, argues that building a dam in the same region will mean more industrial dairy farming and heightened risk of water contamination.

"It's totally out of order, especially when the regional council itself is going to be both the investor in this dam and the regulator of the water quality issues associated with it," Toop said.

"The last two weeks have shown that there are serious water management issues already in the Hawke's Bay even when the water quality regulator is not conflicted by pecuniary interests as it would be in the case of the Ruataniwha Dam."

A spokesperson for the regional council reiterated earlier this week that the Tukituki River was "highly unlikely" to be the source. However, it had not been completely dismissed.

 

 

 

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