• Key points
  
• What agencies are doing
  
• What you can do to help
  
• More information
  
• What we want to achieve
  

Key points

We use groundwater for drinking, domestic and industrial purposes, stock watering and crop irrigation. Water contaminated by pesticides may cause ill health in people, animals and plants. This indicator tells us whether our groundwater meets drinking water guidelines for pesticides.

• Pesticides are contaminating some of our groundwater.
• The concentrations of most pesticides detected are well below drinking water guideline levels_¹.
• Pesticides are more likely to be found in vulnerable, shallow, unconfined aquifers where use of relatively mobile and persistent pesticide chemicals is high.
• Most pesticide contamination is because of poor management practices and historic use.

Source: Environment Waikato

What agencies are doing

• Environment Waikato has been involved with Crown Research Institutes in several projects to better understand pesticide contamination of groundwater in the Waikato.
• We support and train our staff on the New Zealand Standard for Agrichemical Users Code of Practice known as Growsafe.
• Environment Waikato is also involved in a project to develop national guidelines for the management of contaminated sheep dip sites.
• Many industry groups are working to reduce pesticide use.
• Environment Waikato has a number of rules and policies related to pesticide use. For more information, check out our Regional Plan and our Regional Policy Statement.

What you can do to help

• Don't risk contaminating your water supply by storing, mixing or using chemicals too close to a well or bore.
• Make sure your well is sealed, for example with a concrete pad around the casing. This will help prevent contaminants moving down the outside of the well casing and entering the underlying aquifer.
• Always follow the recommended application rates and methods, and storage and disposal practices. Efficient pesticide use avoids waste and can save money. Guidelines on pesticide use are contained in Growsafe, the New Zealand Standard for Agrichemical Users Code of Practice.

More information

More detail on this indicator, including how and where this information is collected, is available here.

What we want to achieve

The community outcomes we are seeking to achieve by monitoring micro-organisms in groundwater are:

• The iconic landscapes and natural features of our environment define and sustain us. We respect and celebrate them as taonga.
• Our natural environment is protected and respected. Its ecological balance is restored, its air, soil and water quality is improved and its native biodiversity is enhanced.
• The traditional role of iwi and hapu as kaitiaki is acknowledged, respected and enabled.
• Our region’s waterways have consistently high water quality.
• We have reliable, efficient and well-planned infrastructure and services, including transport that is safe, interconnected, and easy to get to and use.