Far North hapū are deeply concerned for the health of their people after discovering traces of human waste and toxic metals flowing into the Wairoa Stream.
A contingent of Ahipara takiwā representatives and whānau gathered at the Wairoa Bridge on Friday to express their heartbreak over the situation. The contingent included seven-year-old Ramiri, who held a sign saying ‘my great-grandma Erina swam and ate kaimoana in the Wairoa 80 years ago, why can’t I?’.
Environmental scientist Dr Jacquie Reed said the water was potentially toxic.
“You would not want to go into the water… and I say that with quite a lot of sincerity. Ninety-eight per cent of the water coming into the stream above the school has got human waste faecal coliform in it at a very high level.”
But the Wairoa Stream flowing through Ahipara is still being used to swim and collect kaimoana.
Roma Marae chairman John Paitai said his people have had to warn people to stay away.
“We don’t want to be killjoys but that's what we have to do, to tell them that if you go in there, you are putting yourself at risk,” he said.
A wastewater treatment plant and capped landfill further upstream are partly to blame.
Research commissioned by Te Rarawa found the sewage plant has been non-compliant 59% of the time for the last six years.
Ahipara Takiwā spokesperson Tui Qauqau Te Paa said that was unacceptable.
“We are at stake, as a hapū. What are we, if we're not water? If we don’t protect what little we have? What are we as tangata whenua?”
Treated sewage from around 500 properties pass through an oxidation pond, natural wetlands and a tributary before it's discharged into the Wairoa Stream.
The research found not only is the tributary contaminated with harmful bacteria, but it’s also riddled with dangerous metals such as copper and lead.
“To think that our tamariki are swimming in faecal matter and metals and all of that, it’s sad. Sad in the first instance, and then anger right behind it,” said kaitiaki Lisa McNab.
In a statement, the Far North District Council accepts that non-compliance must be solved, but it had a plan in place to do this.
“The oxidation pond system needs upgrading to meet consent conditions, and as part of its financial plan, the council has budgeted for an ultraviolet system (UV) to reduce faecal coliforms that are the main non-compliance," it read.
"This is being procured for installation early in the new financial year starting 1 July 2022."
The council said resource consent for the wastewater treatment plant, issued in 2013, is due to expire in 2033.
It said monitoring by the council "has shown the need to investigate disposal to land, rather than direct to water".
"The council is in discussions with Te Rarawa and the Kaitāia Golf Club on options to discharge treated wastewater to land, specifically to the golf club grounds.”
But that’s news to Ahipara hapū, who claim they’ve been constantly left in the dark.
“They won’t listen to the tangata whenua. We want to work together, but it’s almost like they’re ignorant to their responsibility as treaty partners,” Te Paa said.
McNab said she would continue holding the council to account.
“Their silence is deafening on it," she said.
“You’ve always got to be thinking that we can make a difference as it's been shared by others. This is our home. We're taking care of it, we're gunna be challenging those who are a big part of the damage that's been done.”
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