Water is the 21st Century Gold

Recently, the Ngati Hau and the Puhipuhi Mining Action Group (PMAG) gave a presentation to the Northland Economic Advisory Group – setting out proposals which could bring economic development into the North – alternatives to mining.

We have previously said how worried we are that any mining in the Puhipuhi catchment could lead to disturbance of the mercury which is embedded in the soils and rocks throughout that area, and could eventually leak into the hundreds of underground and above-ground waterways which flow down from Puhipuhi to eventually reach the Kaipara Harbour.

We have said there is already far too much contamination and sedimentation going down these rivers, and this is polluting the Kaipara and damaging the snapper fishery.

PMAG coordinator, Jenny Kirk, said “We would like to see a total change of attitude towards these waters. We would like to see them cleaned up, and used in a more environmentally sustainable way.

“And so we proposed some economic alternatives to mining.

“Water is the 21st century gold,” we said. “With climate change, future droughts makes water doubly precious. We should not waste it.”

“We have an abundance of dirty water currently damaging farmlands, our eel fishery, and contaminating the Kaipara as the rivers collect sediment along the way

“Clean water is the resource we need for substantial economic development in the North.”

We went on to say that we could turn around the thinking about the floods which happen regularly in the Hikurangi Swamp area and use that water to build a large storage dam, and maybe another power station.

Local Maori have been transplanting elvers (young eel) coming up from the Kaipara and taking them further north into waters where they can grow to edible size. This is an untapped source for a potential commercial eel fishery.
Others have started riparian planting around the Kaipara Harbour and down some of the river sides. It is known that riparian planting provides a sheltering environment which develops a clean habitat suitable for the growth of a variety of fish species.

And we suggested these local efforts could be expanded into a long-term plan to assist in cleaning up the waterways from the top of the Puhipuhi catchment, leading into the northern Kaipara. We also talked about how this work could eventually provide enhanced tourism opportunities.

We gave examples of Government funding for similar works in other parts of the country, and we said that investment into these sorts of projects would be much more sustainable, and provide many local job opportunities, than gold mining would ever do.

Further information about these possibilities is on our website http://puhipuhi.co.nz

ENDS

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