Central government must get rural leaders to change their attitude. Federated Farmers and big companies like Fonterra need to show a real commitment to sustainability, not only in the interests of the wider community and future generations, but also in their own interests.
The Ecan Council must be empowered and required to lead Ecan’s water, land and energy resources staff to :
- Stop actions that are putting aquifers at risk;
- Stop actions that are damaging our waterways;
- Implement a comprehensive waterways restoration programme;
- Impose a levy on water taken for irrigation;
- Implement the findings from the “Growing for Good” report and establish a sustainability charter (refer www. fraserbasin.bc.ca for model); and
- Ensure all new developments are sustainable
Central government has rejected our suggestion that the ECan Council is replaced by a water commission with the legislative and financial power to return the region to sustainable management of its water resources.
The time has come to mobilise the support of all Cantabrians for major change in how we manage our water. We now recognise that political vested interests, and those driven by the prospect of big money from making water into milk, may only consider the radical changes necessary to protect our environment if placed under pressure from an informed public.
We need our leaders to:
1. Acknowledge that all people have a right to uncontaminated drinking water and healthy rivers and streams that are swimable and fishable.
2. Acknowledge the responsibility of the present Canterbury Regional Council (Environment Canterbury) to ensure Canterbury’s water is being managed sustainably.
3. Require that no new consents to take water for irrigation should be issued until water management structures, statutory processes and scientific knowledge are adequate to ensure the sustainable use of water.
4. Set in place a comprehensive waterways restoration programme.