Greenpeace Aotearoa is hosting a public meeting in Rangiora this Saturday to mobilise efforts to protect water quality in the region, just two weeks after the Government’s fast-track project list was revealed to include significant irrigation schemes.

The organisation will also be running two free nitrate contamination drinking water testing events: one in Amberley on October 18th, and one in Oxford on October 20th.

Greenpeace’s Canterbury-based freshwater campaigner, Will Appelbe, says, "Everyone should be able to take a dip in their local river or drink the water coming out of their tap without getting sick. But for many rural communities, particularly in Canterbury, that’s becoming less and less possible.

"Now, the Christopher Luxon Government is actively pushing through legislation that will worsen water quality in Canterbury, such as the fast-track bill. The irrigation schemes included in the fast-track schedule would suck the life out of already-fragile rivers and return polluted water back into the environment through further dairy intensification in the region."

Greenpeace has been running free drinking water testing events across the country, as well as a free mail-in water testing service, for the last three years, to raise awareness of increasing levels of nitrate in drinking water.

The organisation says that many rural communities in Canterbury are seeing levels of nitrate in drinking water increasing, while a growing body of science has linked prolonged exposure to elevated levels of nitrate, to increased health risks including risks of bowel cancer and preterm birth.

"More irrigation means more intensive dairying, which is polluting lakes, rivers, and drinking water with high levels of nitrate," says Appelbe.

"We’re hosting this public meeting to discuss the increasing threats to water quality in Canterbury and to provide a way for local communities to engage with efforts to prevent water pollution at the source.

"Greenpeace will continue to stand with communities and fight to end pollution of lakes, rivers, and drinking water. Ultimately, we need to reduce the dairy herd, end the use of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser, and stop big new irrigation schemes."

The Greenpeace public meeting will be held at The Skurr Centre, Rangiora Showgrounds, on Saturday 19th October, from 6:30pm. The organisation is also running free drinking water testing in Amberley on the 18th October from 1-5pm at the Holy Innocents Anglican Church, and in Oxford on the 20th October from 9:30am-3pm in the Oxford Town Hall A&P Room.

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