Christchurch-West Melton Zone Committee to learn about faecal contamination in rivers

The Christchurch West Melton Water Management Zone Committee will have the opportunity to question scientists about the likely origin of contamination in the Avon and Heathcote rivers at its meeting on Wednesday 23 March.

The committee, one of 10 zone committees in Canterbury, is working collaboratively to develop effective water management solutions for the Christchurch-West Melton area.

Last month, the zone committee requested the opportunity to learn more about the faecal contamination results discussed in an Environmental and Science Research Ltd. (ESR) study published in December 2015.

ESR took water samples from a total of nine sites around the Avon and Heathcote rivers and Estuary between April and September 2015.

E. coli levels in the water samples were typically elevated, exceeding recreational water guideline values on a number of occasions during base flow, and after rainfall almost all samples exceeded recreational water guideline values.

Faecal contamination from wild birdlife such as ducks and geese was the dominant source during base flow, with some human sources detected particularly after rainfall events. Faecal contamination from dogs was also detected following rainfall.

ESR scientist Elaine Moriarty and Christchurch City Council planning engineer Mike Bourke will attend the meeting to discuss results and answer questions.

The zone committee will then consider ways to share the information with the community and ways they can actively encourage the community to take steps to reduce contamination from dogs, wild birdlife, and leaky pipes.

The zone committee will also hear about progress towards improving water quality at Addington Brook, Paeroa Reserve, and Cashmere Stream and discuss what further action needs to be taken in the coming months.

Click here for the agenda.

ENDS

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