Nitrate leaching from farming irrigation is a key concern outlines in many of the submissions heard by ECan councillors on Tuesday. Concerns about water-driven rates hikes and pleas to save the region’s waterways from intensive farming have dominated the opening day of Environment Canterbury’s (ECan) draft long-term plan (LTP) hearings. His rates would increase 90 per cent under option one, or 82 per cent under option two, he said. “We’ve invested $55m to $60m here in Canterbury under the Canterbury Water Management Strategy [CWMS]. She said ECan was not taking a precautionary approach with managing nitrate levels in Christchurch’s water.

Source: Stuff April 27, 2021 06:56 UTC