A prominent epidemiologist and a top midwife agree New Zealand's maximum acceptable level of nitrate in drinking water needs to be reviewed.
It comes in the wake of University of Otago analysis of international studies which found much lower levels of the chemical than previously thought could be responsible for mothers giving birth early, potentially leading to cerebral palsy, eyesight and hearing loss, or psychiatric disorders.
The chances of a premature birth increased by 47 per cent when nitrates in drinking water were just five milligrams per litre of water, one of the overseas studies found.
Otago University research fellow Tim Chambers felt the findings deserved serious consideration in New Zealand, due to the fact 138,000 Kiwis — those on small rural supplies — are drinking water with nitrates at five milligrams or above, which is believed to be within the danger zone for adverse birth outcomes.
Epidemiologist Michael Baker and New Zealand College of Midwives chief executive Alison Eddy said the country's maximum acceptable level of nitrate in drinking water — 11.3 milligrams — seems too high.
"I think we need to revise the levels of nitrate that we allow in our drinking water," Baker told Breakfast.
"I think that's a strong signal to our policy makers we need to work to a much lower nitrate level in water."
He said the University of Otago was trying at the moment to measure what the exposure levels are in the country.
"I would say at this point we know enough to act and I think obviously encouraging the WHO to review its levels, which were set a long time ago.
"But even if they take a long time to do this, I think in New Zealand we really need to revise our levels for acceptable nitrate in drinking water.
Eddy added: "The level that's seen as acceptable is the 11.3 ... which seems to high.
"When we know we've got modifiable factors, like this, it does really make us think we should be addressing this."
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