News

Jul 15, 2023

Gore and Lumsden drinking water samples breach nitrate standards

Some of Gore and Lumsden’s drinking water has unsafe nitrate levels, data from Greenpeace Aotearoa shows, but Gore District Council says it’s not concerned. During their free nitrate water testing in

Some of Gore and Lumsden’s drinking water has unsafe nitrate levels, data from Greenpeace Aotearoa shows, but Gore District Council says it’s not concerned.

During their free nitrate water testing in Southland this week, Greenpeace Aotearoa found high contamination levels in the water supplies of both townships, and the surrounding rural areas.

Over 112 tests this week, preliminary analysis found 65% were above the cancer risk level of 1 milligram per litre (mg/L), while 20% were above the preterm birth risk level of 5mg/L.

Greenpeace lead climate and agriculture campaigner Christine Rose said elevated nitrate levels reflected that 65% of the Gore’s water supply was sourced from nitrate-contaminated bores on a dairy farm.

READ MORE: * Whose job is it to warn of the risk of nitrates in pregnancy? * Oceania dairy company rejects possible link to high nitrates in Waimate District water supply * 'You never know what's in your water': Two thirds of rural bore samples above cancer risk level for nitrates

"It was striking to find water samples from public supplies in Gore and Lumsden with nitrate levels greater than 4mg/L,” Rose said.

"The major concern here is that nitrate above 5 mg/L has been found to increase the risk of preterm birth, according to a recent Californian study.

“Three samples exceeded the current nitrate standard of 11.3mg/L, including two at or above 21mg/L,” Rose said.

All three samples above the nitrate standard of 11.3mg/L came from private household bores, two from Gore and one from Lumsden.

Of all the samples identified as coming from Gore’s town supplies, 41% had nitrate levels of more than 4mg/L.

“The highest nitrate reading of the whole Greenpeace testing programme, of over 1000 samples, was recorded this week from a dairy farm in the region. It showed 21.5 mg/L (NO3-N) - almost double the maximum acceptable value for nitrate in drinking water.”

Rose said about 80% of New Zealanders had access to water with nitrate levels under 1 mg/L.

Gore District Council three waters asset manager Matt Bayliss said the council was not concerned by the findings of Greenpeace’s water testing on Wednesday.

“[They] align with results we get as part of our routine monitoring,” he said.

“The average nitrate concentration in the Cooper’s Well bore field, which supplies approximately 65% of Gore’s water, was 4.8 mg/L over the past 10 years.”

Bayliss said Jacobstown Well bore field which supplied about 35% of Gore’s water had an average nitrate concentration of 1.4 mg/L over the past 10 years.

“While we are not concerned about the current nitrate concentrations in our drinking water supplies, we would be if these concentrations were to increase,” Bayliss said.

“The council has taken steps in the past, and is looking at future solutions, to address nitrate levels in our drinking water supplies.”

Bayliss said a reduction in nitrate concentrations was expected to be one of the benefits of the council’s plans to centralise the treatment of water from Cooper’s Wells and Jacobstown at its East Gore Water Treatment Plant.