Water Quality
Water inquiry: Assessors' training 'insufficient'
Failing to comply with drinking water safety standards and training have come under fire at the Havelock North inquiry.
High-tech buoy deployed in Wellington harbour
The deployment of a new high-tech buoy in Wellington means scientists will no longer have to wait for good weather to check water quality.
Brighter future?: A tale of two rivers captures water quality debate
Between 2010 and 2015, the proportion of rivers safe to swim in in Canterbury fell from 74% to 67%. Conan Young took the pulse of two South Island rivers. Video, Audio
Canaries of the Waterways
Caddisflies, mayflies and stoneflies are considered 'canaries of the waterways' as they thrive when water quality is good and the first to disappear when it isn't. Audio
Dairy NZ: time for celebration?
The dairy industry is celebrating the environmental achievements of farmers excluding stock from waterways. According to Dairy NZ's three year progress report on it's Water Accords the vast majority… Audio
NZ's largest freshwater springs under threat from E coli
The dairy industry is responsible for high levels of E coli found near the country's largest freshwater springs, a water quality advocate says. Audio
Sue council over Havelock water contamination crisis, ill man urges
A man left critically ill by last year's water contamination crisis in Havelock North wants the councils in charge sued.
Personal attacks on scientists 'not helpful'
Scientists have been told to conduct their debates according to the science - and not the personalities - in a letter sent by the Association of Scientists.
Insight: A Line in the Sand for Freshwater Quality?
The state of the country's waterways is almost constantly in the headlines. Now a definitive landmark report from the Ministry for the Environment has confirmed what many already suspected, that there… Video, Audio
Keeping Catchments Healthy
Agribusiness consultant Deane Carson is encouraging farmers to use petrifilm E.coli count plate kits to test water quality levels on their farms in Southland. Audio
Water pollution inevitable even if nitrogen use curtailed now
Nitrogen leaching from agricultural soils was estimated to have increased nearly a third between 1990 and 2012... and now a water quality scientist is warning New Zealand's water will be polluted for… Audio
Lower Hutt water likely to be 'permanently chlorinated'
Lower Hutt's water supply will probably require permanent chlorination, as officials struggle to find out how the aquifer has become contaminated.
Filthy water report: A starting point or an end game?
Opinion - Another day, another absolute cowpat of a freshwater report card, Dave Hansford writes.
Water Fools? - River damage from forestry in Northland
Forestry companies are getting away with serious damage to rivers because most of what they do is out of sight, says a Northland farmer.
Waterways report misses key concerns - consultant
The Prime Minister's chief scientist has failed to address the real problems in his new water quality report, says an agribusiness consultant.
State of waterways gone past tipping point - report
Some waterways are significantly compromised and may take more than 50 years to recover, a report from the Prime Minister's chief scientist says.
Go with the Flow
Adopting best-practice farming systems and fencing off streams to improve water quality are ongoing tasks for James Guild and his son Hamish who farm around the headwaters of the Selwyn River in… Audio
Environmental concerns over Fijian 'miracle water'
The Ministry for Primary Industries is warning travellers from Fiji to stop bringing so-called miracle water into New Zealand.
Farming smart: moving from volume to value
It has long been the mantra that New Zealand farming needs to move from volume to value. But how can this practically be achieved? Audio
Fourth group quits water forum
Another group has resigned from the Land and Water Forum, amidst anger at the government's new policy on 'swimmable' water.