18 Comments
Jun 4, 2023Liked by Melanie Newfield

"In case you are wondering, I have no idea why the article I’ve linked to appears to be sponsored by Dairy NZ, I found no other examples"

Might they have answered you in the article?

"Environment Canterbury says in a report that while farming is a major source of nitrate, wastewater disposal (septic tanks and other sewage and industrial wastewater treatment systems) are also a source."

Deflecting blame?

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It certainly struck me that Dairy NZ would like articles showing nitrates coming from something other than cows.

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Jun 4, 2023Liked by Melanie Newfield

Please forgive me if I've already shared this. Substack doesn't make it easy to track past comment threads! Nitrate from cows is a major issue here in Washington State. I wrote about it here: https://johnlovie.substack.com/p/surf-or-turf

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Ideally, wastewater should be recycled back into potable water thereby reducing pressure on the natural systems; especially where fossil fresh aquifer water is being used such as in Wellington and Christchurch. We treat our water like dirt in this country, and waste it left right and centre. Water is a precious resource, that is extremely recyclable and is necessary to do so. In the city I grew up in in Africa, nearly 75% of the water was recycled.

I remember a really old joke - water that has been through so many kidneys so many times, must be really pure.

That said, we cannot ignore the fact that our use of freshwater in NZ is absolutely unsustainable. Doesn’t matter if it’s farmer or townie. We are all responsible for changing the attitude to this precious resource.

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I agree, there is so much we could be doing better, and need to. I think part of it is just that water is so familiar that it's easy to ignore, and that a lot of people don't understand the harm we are doing, hence my motivation in writing about it.

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Oh my god this is awesome. We have a septic system here that we treat as a living organism and the irrigation field produces amazing edible fruit and herb varieties. The glamping site we use composting toilets, it sounds gross but the compost is incredible.

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It's high time that city planners incorporated decent size "Grow your own food" plots with self composting toilets, for all family homes. Radical Solutions over Profits.

Peace, Maurice

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I'm glad someone else appreciates sewage systems. I do love a good composting toilet. Glad your systems are successfully growing things, good to see waste being put to such good use.

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Hi Mel. there are a number of points here that I would also like to write upon, but at a later date. There is much that needs to be brought to the attention of environmental influencers. About 50 years ago, a road in the middle of Manchester UK, collapsed dropping a double decker bus into the Victorian sewers below. That's what turned me off city life. Together with friends we searched the Pennines for a derelict farmhouse to rebuild, using alternative technology. We actually found one large place that had an ancient Scandinavian style composting toilet, and incredibly - a Roman heating system. WOW !! Sadly our project failed. Over the years I occasionally worked on other such projects across Europe.

Now I am thinking about finding a place in France or Spain, where a bunch of enthusiasts might seek solutions for alternative "climate change combative" tech lifestyles........., In the meantime - Maurice's Substack goes live this Wednesday. Peace be with you.

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Wow, that's horrifying. It's so easy to forget our sewers, but they are so important. I understand you being put off city life. Your farmhouse adventure sounds amazing.

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Jun 4, 2023Liked by Melanie Newfield

An interesting and relevant article.

In Central Canterbury sewage wastewater from The Pines sewage plant is applied to land.

This might be considered "best practice" IF the land was of sufficient area and the soils were not light vulnerable porous soils. Unfortunately this is not the case.

Down slope groundwater is becoming increasingly polluted with nitrate (and probably faecal pathogens which increase with along nitrate due to leaching on intensive dairy farms).

Springs and drains east of Rolleston record high nitrate (NO3-N) levels, between 7 and 11 mg/L.

Chronic exposure to such high levels of nitrate are toxic to a significant amount of aquatic life.

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Thanks Peter. You're quite right, application to land is not a panacea. Because I'm a nerd with things like that, I checked the inventory and The Pines is actually a decent plant as far as I can tell, but you're right, it also has to go to the right land. Also there are three plants in Selwyn that are only primary treating and applying to land.

Here's the inventory in case you're interested. https://www.waternz.org.nz/WWTPInventory

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Thanks Melanie, it will take a while, a couple of years just to gather the steam. As a Brit emigrating first to Nederland during Brexit, I have to first re-establish my rights to live and work anywhere in the EU...... Something else to enjoy posting about on Substack !! Hasta la Vista, Maurice.

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You have my sympathy. Sounds very complicated.

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Thanks Melanie, I am interested in this subject too. The angle or perspective I would like to add is analysis of whose lands and whose rivers were affected, and what happened to those communities after their resources and taonga were seized for the purposes of "treating" waste - and where are they now? The answer to that last question is telling, Ihumātao being just one example. The 'out of sight' mentality creates a disconnection that someone somewhere will pay the price, whether this generation or another. Waste is perhaps the biggest and shittiest one to tackle. Do you know of Kepa Morgan's work? I remember hearing him give a talk, and a question / statement he posed which I swear I think about every time I visit the wharepaku. He said "Why on earth was it decided all those years ago to use fresh/clean water to carry away soiled water?" It's just illogical. Treating our waste in place - if we HAD to do that - would change everything about how we live. But thanks to historical decisions, it seems almost insurmountable to get back to there. At Te Tiriti analysis is so important to provide context for these subjects.

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You make a really important point. It's something that has become much more apparent to me as I've been writing about water. There's been a real shift in my thinking in how I understand what happened to iwi and hapū in terms of access to resources and protection of taonga. I'm thinking differently about solutions too.

I looked up Kepa Morgan and I think I've come across some of his work but I'm going to take a closer look. And I'll email you to discuss this further.

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Thanks Melanie. Interesting article.

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Thanks Claire

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