Spray work continues

Press, 20 December 1985, Page 4

Spray work continues

The Christchurch Drainage Board is continuing a Sng programme out the growing season for weed and plant control in tributaries and drains that flow into the Avon and Heathcote rivers. Diquat was used m the tributaries and drains and paraquat was used to knock Back plants along their banis said the deputy chief, Anffmeer Mr Don Cooper,

yesterday. “The diquat is used in two parts per million active in- ; gredients and this has no effect on fish life and is not dangerous to people in the water,” he said. “Paraquat used to be used in the water until the company producing it put an additive in. There are no residual effects from these 4 sprays.” The use of sprays had > proved cheaper than clear-

ing the weed and plants manually in the tributaries and drains but not in the rivers. “The only people we inform when we are going to spray are those running the Canterbury University nursery who draw water from a nearby stream for watering their plants. We certainly don’t spray domestic plants when we are spraying alogl the banks.”