Calls for regional council to address Kaiapoi River issues
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Waimakariri’s deputy mayor has called on the Canterbury regional council to stop ‘‘side-stepping’’ issues with the Kaiapoi River.
Neville Atkinson has called on Environment Canterbury (ECan) to step up and investigate the causes of pollution levels in the Kaiapoi and Ruataniwha Cam rivers.
Atkinson was addressing community concerns at a Kaiapoi-Tuahiwi Community Board meeting on Monday evening.
Local residents formed a new catchment group last month, following concerns about the degradation on their local rivers, which they blamed on the use of herbicides.
ECan has acknowledged issues with macrophyte (weedbed) dieback and freshwater mussel (kākāhi) deaths, but said it was primarily due to saltwater incursions and also heavy frosts.
But Atkinson rejected ECan’s explanation.
‘‘As is evident, this has been going on for years. It is very evident there is a problem and whether it is a natural problem or a man-made problem, I don’t know. But I want to know what it is.
‘‘We owe it to our community to help ECan to come up with some answers, but ECan needs to stop side-stepping.’’
Atkinson said residents may not like the outcome, but it was important to get some answers.
Councillor Philip Redmond said the issue was complex.
‘‘If there was a simple fix, it would have been fixed a long time ago. It is going to be a long process.’’
Waimakariri District Council water environment adviser Sophie Allen said saltwater could come from other sources, but it was most likely from the sea.
Community members raised similar concerns following the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes.
A 2018 report by ECan principal scientist Adrian Meredith (pictured) concluded there were multiple causes, but found ‘‘increasing episodes of saline water intrusion flowing into the lower Kaiapoi River’’.
The river was historically the north branch of the Waimakariri River and environmental changes following the earthquakes both contributed to the high levels of saltwater intrusion.
Drought conditions and changing farming practices were also factors, the 2018 report found.
The community board asked council staff to work assist ECan to investigate the causes of saltwater incursions, including tides, river flows and salinity data and to monitor water quality and aquatic ecology trends.
Kaiapoi is known as the river town, with the river being a popular spot for boaties and whitebaiters.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
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53.1% Yes
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46.9% No
Family Friendly Service and Discussion
Family-friendly monthly service - Sunday, 7 December - at the Ashley Community Church. The gathering will start at 3.30 pm with a shared afternoon tea. Remember to bring something to share!
Remember to go before you come as there is no toilet on site.
Enquiries to Paul or Lesley, Ph 021 140 2074
39 Canterbury St, Ashley.
‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...
As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.
Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
There are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe doing online trades this holiday season, says Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Dalton.
🔒 “A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created. If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
🔒 Another important step is to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name match up. “We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that’s a huge red flag."
🔒 “When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through."
🔒 “Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage."
🔒 "If you’re buying a car, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it’s stolen or if there’s money owed on it.”
A reminder: Suspicious activity can be reported on 105
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