Water quality still improving
Taranaki has recorded its best stream health trends in 21 years, a new report shows. The 2017 Healthy Waterways report showed water quality in the region was ‘fit for purpose’ by almost all measures within the compulsory national criteria at almost all sites most of the time.
Published by the Taranaki Regional Council, the report looked at trends from 20 years of monitoring and showed most measures were improving or not changing significantly for the ecological health and physical and chemical state of 99 per cent of Taranaki rivers and streams.
TRC director of environment quality, Gary Bedford, said the report’s findings were exciting and validated community efforts to improve water quality.
‘‘We’re excited about the latest assessments of in-stream life – these are the little insects living in water - the primary indicator of water quality, these are the best ever results since we began measuring,’’ he said.
Bedford attributed the changing course of Taranaki water health trends to the work of farmers and landowners, as part of TRC’s riparian planting and fencing scheme.
‘‘This report shows the work our community is doing, as part of Taranaki’s Riparian Management Programme, is making a difference,’’ Bedford said.
The report found ecological health was improving at 51 per cent of monitored sites, while 47 per cent showed no obvious trend and 2 per cent were deteriorating.
Ecological health is the council’s prime measure of freshwater quality and is assessed by examining what sort of tiny creatures are living in waterways.
Physical and chemical health is assessed by measuring organic contamination, nutrient concentrations and aesthetic quality and results were largely stable across the region, with 84.5 per cent showing no obvious trend, 1 per cent improving and 14.5 per cent deteriorating.
Indicators of phosphate and nitrogen levels were steady or improving at 73 per cent and 91 per cent of the sites, respectively.
Comparison of the region’s water quality data with the national standards across the 11 separate monitoring sites, showed that for 55 measures, 38 (69 per cent) were in the A category, 15 (27 per cent) were B, and there was one C category rating. Only one was below the national bottom line for acceptable water quality, with a D rating.
By these standards, water quality in the region was ’fit for purpose’ by almost all measures within the compulsory national criteria at almost all sites most of the time, and was usually in the highest category.
The council also monitored freshwater quality at popular recreational swimming spots every summer and the report showed the vast majority met Ministry for the Environment bathing guidelines during summer.
Excluding two sites contaminated mainly by birds near the mouths of the Waiwhakaiho River and Te Henui Stream, 94 per cent of samples from freshwater recreational sites the guidelines.
‘‘You can’t argue with science – streamside fencing and planting is having a positive impact in Taranaki, trapping and filtering pasture run-off and keeping animals out of our streams,’’ Bedford said.
Taranaki led the country with riparian fencing and planting and the council was proud of residents taking responsibility for water quality.
‘‘But the bar is constantly being raised and this work will only continue, supporting our freshwater health, taking Taranaki forward,’’ Bedford said.
The full report is available at trc.govt.nz/healthy-waterwaysreport-2017/.