Don’t pollute stormwater

What a relief that the younger generations are starting to be taught about the ways our environment is being polluted, and ways to help reduce that pollution.

Multiple letters in the May 13 issue of the Kapi-Mana News from a group of Paremata School pupils gave some hope that the message is starting to get through, in particular about the ‘‘done thing’’, albeit something that should not be, of washing cars in driveways.

For years and years this has just been where people do this, and unfortunately the connection between stormwater drains has never been an issue.

The Resource Management Act states that only stormwater is supposed to go down those drains, yet people wash their cars where the runoff leads down drains, not to mention the even more concerning issues of people who wash paint and oil down there too thinking it’s ‘‘just another drain’’.

Many people have noticed how disgusting the Porirua Harbour is in several places.

It affects the health of the harbour and the species who live there, or at least try to.

One hopes that these words don’t fall on deaf ears, that these children can understand that and do what they can to pass on the message.

Washing cars on grass, whilst sometimes more difficult to arrange, is the solution, or getting your car washed at a petrol station, where water is treated before going out to sea.

While it’s such a Kiwi thing to wash your car in your driveway in the weekend, it’s a polluting habit that needs to be changed quickly, not just for our Porirua Harbour, but waterways around the world.

Well done for speaking up, kids, not just for the sharks but for the harbour and against pollution in general. later it still looks the same.

Am I right in thinking it should have been repaired by now, especially because I have seen the children playing with it?

I don’t know the law around this type of thing in childcare facilities.