Farm environment plans for Waimea Plains' landowners are earmarked for development, a move that may help tackle elevated levels of nitrate in the groundwater.
Braden Fastier/Stuff
Grape grower Brian Halstead says members of the Waimea Irrigators and Water Users incorporated society believe the council should not “continue to drag its feet” over the issue of nitrates in the groundwater. Tests of some bores in 2019, arranged by Waimea Plains landowner Cathy Hughson and fellow Tasman District resident Lew Solomon, also showed some nitrate levels exceeded the drinking water standards. The Richmond urban water supply is drawn from aquifers under the plains. In the 2019 tests arranged by Hughson and Solomon, that water supply had a nitrate reading of about 5.1mg/L nitrate-nitrogen, well below the drinking water standards of 11.3.