Protection of Estuary water wanted

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33625, 29 August 1974, Page 3

Protection of Estuary water wanted

Man's treatment of the Estuary was nothing to be proud of—it had been allowed to become the drain of Christchurch, said Mr B. R. Hanson yesterday on behalf of the Sumner Residents’ Association.

Mr Hanson was making submissions to the Water Resources Council water classification hearings.

The association wants the council to set higher purity standards for the Estuarv. Mr Hanson said that control of the Estuary was important, and preferably a job for one authority. A management committee had been set up, but how wide were its powers? All aspects of the unique features of the Estuary were affected by its water quality, and by stormwater and sewage discharges. PUBLIC USE Mr Hanson said that the council had not classified the water of McCormack’s Bay. The waters near the Sumner Bar were popular for surfboarding and yachting, and quality standards should be raised.

Though the Christchurch Drainage Board had a right to discharge effluent, it should be prepared to find alternative ways that would not affect the environment. The South Brighton Residents’ Association supported the council’s preliminary classifications, said Mr P. V. Haughey. These classifications would protect wildlife and the recreational uses of the Estuary, while not inhibiting its role for the dispersal of waste. The association opposed a piped sea outlet, Mr Haughey saying that this could cause dispersion of sewage and fresh water along the whole of the New Brighton beaches.

The chairman (Mr B. W. Spooner) said that classification took no account of costs to attain them. The council was not saying what Christchurch or individuals might do with their sewage, but it could have no regard to the costs involved. It was a matter of values in settling conflicts.

When Mr Hanson said that subdivisions on the hills were discolouring the Heathcote River and leading to sedimentation in the Estuary, Mr Spooner said that there were controls to stop this. Mr Spooner said the D classification was quite high quality water. “We try to establish a bal-

Demolition.— Victoria University’s oldest building—the brick, 70-year-old Hunter building—will be demolished in three years. The acting Chancellor of the University (Mr K. B. O’Brien) said today that the entire Hunter block was a serious earthquake risk and would have to be pulled down.—(P.A.)

ance between conflicting uses, and not everyone is satisfied,” he said. '“Wrong things have been done in the past, and cannot be corrected 'over-night. We have got to consider what is now realistically possible.” Higher standards were also sought by Mr D. Watson, for the Combined Estuary Asso-i ciation. formed by residents’ associations, sporting users, and ecological and environ-, mental groups. WILDLIFE