A water management bottom line
It really has been a case of ‘‘water, water everywhere’’ over the last couple of weeks in New Zealand, not just physically, as the North Island in particular can attest to after the visit of the so-called Tasman Tempest, but in the thoughts and concerns of a growing number of Kiwis.
From the somewhat counterintuitive situation of Aucklanders being called on to conserve water when so much was falling in the city’s catchments – it actually makes perfect sense, as the heavy silt content of that water has slowed the work of the Ardmore Water Treatment Plant – to the water rallies across the country on Tuesday, it’s been hard to get away from the subject.
And there’s a reason for that, which goes well beyond the severe weather event still fresh in many minds.
Clean water is arguably our most precious resource, though it’s probably also fair to suggest that in some quarters it’s a resource that’s taken for granted.
The former reality will have dawned anew on the residents of our biggest city in recent days.
On Tuesday, Watercare chief executive Raveen Jaduram told Aucklanders the city was ‘‘very lucky’’ it still had water and wouldn’t be in the clear on the supply front for three to four weeks.
Clean water is still available from Aucklanders’ taps, but it’s certainly not a situation anyone should take for granted. Security of supply has come under severe threat in the last week.
Auckland’s potential water ‘‘crisis’’ may, at the same time as it has spurred residents to action in trying to cut down their consumption, have provided a fillip for those behind Tuesday’s rallies, which were planned in 15 to 20 centres across the country.
Their purpose was twofold. The rallies were planned to coincide with the presentation of a petition by the NZ Water Forum – formerly Bung the Bore – at Parliament, calling for a moratorium on water exports. This follows proposals to export billions of litres of glacial water, via a pipeline, from remote Neil’s Beach, near Haast.
They were also being held to protest a controversial plan announced by environment minister Nick Smith last month, to make 90 per cent of New Zealand lakes and rivers ‘‘swimmable’’ by 2040. It has been attacked by environmental groups accusing the Government of shifting the goalposts around the meaning of ‘‘swimmable’’.
The message of the last week seems to be clear, even if much of our water currently isn’t.
Clean, drinkable water is not only a vital resource, it should be the bottom line of our entire national water strategy.
Any attempts at profiting from that natural resource, directly or indirectly, which cut across that bottom line, should be shifted to the back of the queue.