Aotea water quality may put wakeboarders in peril

MEDIA RELEASE FROM PORIRUA CITY COUNCILLOR ROBERT SHAW

Aotea water quality may put wakeboarders in danger!

The Aotea Lagoon is a drain and a duckpond.

It has never been safe to swim there and shellfish do not live there because of the quality of the water.

Council's plan to swing people though this water will never gain the approval of health and safety authorities.

They should not force polluted water up people's noses and into their eyes and lungs.

Walkers, tricycle riders and children should not be subjected to breathing an aerosol of polluted mist.

The water that flushes the lagoon with the tides is itself seriously polluted.

It comes from an arm of Porirua Harbour which records high coliform counts and which has a substrate contaminated with arsenic, lead and other heavy metals.

Council has been aware of this problem for some time but has not publicised it.

Instead, Council tore down the posters of local residents who opposed wakeboarding and made those councillors who opposed the plan leave the room when it was discussed.

Had the Council conducted a proper consultation more facts would have emerged.

I have asked four public authorities under the Official Information Act to provide information on this matter.

ends