Cattle polluting rivers while Greater Wellington stands by.

Paul Bruce, Greater Wellington Regional Councillor, said that he has received another report today of about a hundred cattle breaking down the banks and fouling the Huangarua River near Martinborough. Cr Bruce said “Local residents had had enough and are angry that repeated appeals made to the GW Environment Protection Unit over much of this year to curb the local farmer involved have had no effect. This farmer repeatedly confines the cattle into the river with hot-wires traversing it so cattle are trapped on the banks and in the water”.

Cr Bruce said that he was disappointed that although GW has clear Farmer Guidelines, a Fresh Water Plan and responsibilities under the RMA, it is failing to provide the necessary resources to check farmer compliance and fine them for repeated transgressions.

Cr Bruce points out that faecal and urine pollution occurring on the Huangarua River also pollutes the nearby Ruamahanga River into which it feeds: both rivers are used for swimming, fishing and other recreation. Such pollution causes both unwanted algal and bacterial overgrowth and is a health hazard for the region.

“If the Environment Division has insufficient staff, then it should be more forward in requesting extra funds from the Council for this,” Cr Bruce concluded.

Cr Paul Bruce

Greater Wellington Regional Council,

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