Greenpeace is running free drop-in water testing days this weekend to enable Southlanders to check their bore water for nitrate contamination. 

The environmental lobby group, along with Forest & Bird, the Environmental Defence Society and Choose Clean Water, are calling on the Government to lower permitted level of nitrate in water to 0.87mg/L. 

They highlight international research linking nitrate contamination to bowel cancer and adverse birth outcomes. 

Testing days in Ashburton last weekend showed nearly 10% of results were over the current health limit of 11.3mg per litre of nitrate contamination.

Advertisement: Motoworx

Greenpeace senior campaigner Steve Abel, in Ashburton, said: "Everyone should be able to trust that their drinking water is safe to drink, but many of the people we’ve talked to today have been shocked and worried at the amount of nitrate in their drinking water.

"Our results today show bore water around the Ashburton region is loaded with nitrate contamination. It’s no surprise that areas with high nitrate levels are the same areas that have a lot of intensive dairying. 

"The paddocks around Ashburton are crammed with cows. We know that synthetic nitrogen fertiliser and cow urine are the main causes of rising nitrate contamination in drinking water. 

"It’s not like you can just go without water – it's fundamental to life. How do we cut the nitrate?

Advertisement: Stihl Shop Winton

"We need local and regional councils, as well as the Government, to step up and regulate the dairy industry by phasing out synthetic nitrogen fertiliser and lowering stocking rates." 

Greenpeace, with the Federation of Freshwater Anglers, will be at the Holy Trinity Church Hall, Meldrum St, Winton, on Saturday, July 17, from 10am-2pm. 

Then, on Sunday, they'll be testing at St Marks Church Hall, 46 Devon St, Riversdale, from 9am to 1pm. 

Southlanders are asked to bring 100mls of bore water in a glass or plastic container. 

Advertisement: Nind Dairy

The testing is part of research being done by Dr Tim Chambers of Otago University. 

Greenpeace tested 101 samples in Ashburton. Preliminary analysis showed 61% of the samples had over 5mg/L of nitrate contamination. Ten samples were over the current health limit of 11.3mg/L.

A 2018 scientific study showed a significant increase in risk of bowel cancer at as low as 0.87mg/L of nitrate contamination in drinking water. Studies have shown that at 5mg/L of nitrate contamination, the risk of premature birth increases by almost half.

Federation of Freshwater Anglers spokesperson Peter Trolove says the Ashburton results were unacceptably high from a public health perspective.

Advertisement: SouthTech

"From an ecological perspective, this same groundwater feeds the lowland springs, where trout can no longer reproduce due to nitrate toxicity," Trolove said.

"The Resource Management Act states that regional councils shall maintain or enhance their region’s freshwater quality, quantity and ecosystems. 

"But what we’ve seen is that they haven't improved the quantity – they've allowed dairying operations to drain the rivers and aquifers dry – and this testing shows they certainly haven’t improved the quality of water, and they’re not meeting their statutory accountabilities.”

This weekend are the fifth and sixth days of testing, the first outside Canterbury.  

The Ministry of Health is establishing a taskforce to investigate the link between nitrates in drinking water and cancer risks in New Zealand.