Abstract
Many communities across Canterbury are facing increasingly difficult decisions as nitrate pollution of drinking water sources worsens. Some water supplies in the region have
already breached drinking water standards for nitrate pollution and publicly available information suggests more could follow. Last year, Canterbury saw its highest-ever number of dairy cattle, the primary source of nitrate pollution in the region. Furthermore the area under irrigation, also linked to increased nitrate pollution, has continued to increase. As nitrate levels rise, associated costs are climbing for Canterbury’s communities. Environment Canterbury (ECan), the regulator responsible for protecting drinking water sources in this region, has said nitrate pollution will get worse before it gets better and is a “legacy issue”. However, drawing together information on cattle numbers, irrigation, current state of drinking water and trends not only demonstrates failure by ECan to protect drinking water from nitrate contamination but also suggests the regulator’s recent decisions are likely to be making the situation worse.