Greenpeace New Zealand is slamming New Zealand's water regulator over its proposal to increase the acceptable amounts of some toxins in drinking water.
Taumata Arowai is proposing changes to the limits for several chemicals including increasing the levels for some described by Greenpeace as "toxic". The proposal has been met by swift backlash from the environmental group
Greenpeace senior campaigner Steve Abel said the regulator is increasing the amounts of "dangerous toxins" allowed in drinking water under the guise of improving quality.
"The water regulator's proposals are a wolf in sheep's clothing because they actually increase the amounts of dangerous toxins permissible in people's drinking water."
Speaking with RNZ on Tuesday Taumata Arowai principal advisor for drinking water Jim Graham said the new standards have been closely reviewed by the Crown research agency ESR, the Cawthron Institute, the Ministry of Health, and are aligned with World Health Organization guidelines.
Graham said a review found some of the levels need to be reduced while some need to be increased.
However, that didn't fly well with Greenpeace which says there is no need to increase levels of any chemicals in drinking water.
"For the good of human health there is absolutely no 'need' - nor can any good come from increasing toxins in people's drinking water," Abel said.
"Everybody has the right to safe drinking water, but Taumata Arowai, the agency entrusted with making our water safe, is raising the amount of poison allowed in drinking water. It's perverse and wrong."
Abel says the only people who will benefit from the changes are agrochemical companies who sell them.
Greenpeace is also taking issue with the regulator's proposal to keep the nitrate contamination limit at 11.3mgl saying it puts Kiwis at risk of developing colorectal cancer.
The claim is backed up by several studies including a major study from the United States in 2019 which found nitrate pollution may be causing up to 12,500 cancer cases there annually.
It follows a Danish study in 2018 that found a link between nitrates and colorectal cancer at pollution levels much lower than New Zealand allows in drinking water. The study found an increase in risks of bowel cancer from concentrations over 0.87mg/L. It also found links to increased risk of preterm birth for pregnant people whose drinking water contains concentrations of 5 mg/L and higher.
However, the Ministry of Health claims "current evidence suggests that nitrate levels lower than 50mg/L are safe". The Ministry of Health limit is in line with the UK and European limits.
But Greenpeace says Kiwis, especially those in rural households, are being put at risk.
"The Government needs to lower the legal limit for nitrate which is our most widespread water contaminant and is linked to colorectal cancer and preterm birth," said Abel.
The proposed new standard would see the amount of several chemicals increased including barium which would rise from 0.7mg/L to 1.5mg/L. Boron would be increased from 1.4mg/L to 2.4mg/L while selenium would increase from 0.01 to 0.04mg/L and uranium would increase from 0.02 to 0.03mg/L. Atrazine would increase from 0.002 to 0.1mg/L, azinphos methyl from 0.004mg/L to 0.1 and MCPA from 0.002 to 0.8 mg/L. Metalaxyl would increase from 0.1 to 0.3 mg/L.
Greenpeace says atrazine should be removed from New Zealand's drinking water entirely.
"Atrazine is a known endocrine disruptor. It is banned in 42 countries including all 27 European Union states. Research has linked atrazine to birth defects and cancer in people, and even minuscule doses can chemically castrate frogs.
"It is disturbing that the Government is not reducing contamination of drinking water by banning substances like atrazine or cutting synthetic nitrogen fertiliser - but instead raising the permissible levels of contaminants in our drinking water at the cost of human health."
Some other chemicals would have their limits decreased under the proposal.
