I'm absolutely gutted to hear that the proposed Wakamoekau water storage dam in the Wairarapa has been abandoned. Talk about an own goal.
It begs the question: what on earth is happening in this country? We used to pride ourselves on being a nation with a can-do attitude, but we’re rapidly turning into a country of can’t do and not allowed to do. This is with a background of modelling from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) showing that a one-degree increase in temperature will result in the East Coast of both the North and South Island’s being in extreme moisture stress for up to six months. This is predicted to be around 2030-2040. That will come around very quickly and we now run the very real risk of being caught out.
We have an opportunity to plan ahead for this likelihood and yet the bureaucratic regulatory process stands in the way as a major impediment.
The impact on the state of our rivers in terms of significantly lower flow periods for longer periods could be mitigated by the use of them as a conduit to carry the water to the region’s southern parts, as was planned for this scheme. This would only have been beneficial to the health of the waterways ecosystems. It’s acknowledged that they are permeable, however, that water is still in the whole groundwater ‘system’, it doesn’t just disappear in a cloud of smoke.
It must be remembered that when current low-flow criteria conditions are in existence, all water users must cease taking water from the river. The water that falls into the watershed is gone within 24 hours and from that point on, we cannot magic up rain to increase the flow. If it doesn’t rain there will be no increase, despite what we do.
The stark reality is that we are blessed with copious water in this country. We have 72 cubic metres per person, which is 12 times the world average, and yet we currently only use 2% of it (1% for the agricultural sector and the other 1% for domestic and industrial purposes). Quite simply, we are faced with a future scenario where we will struggle to maintain our supply for all users.
Water is an enabler, a necessity of life. Is it acceptable that an 85-year-old pensioner should have to shower while standing in an oversize bucket to capture water for her garden, as happened during the last water restrictions experienced in Masterton?
We are happy to rezone land for possible future expansion of the Masterton airport, based on an increased population assumption, and it makes sense to do so, yet we fail to actually implement a plan to store water, and enough of it, for the same potential residents.
Storage in times of excess makes perfectly good sense and to not do so is a travesty. We are failing our future generations for water is an employer. Without reliable supply, how tenable are businesses that are large employers such as the likes of JNL, Higgins and Breadcraft?
Water equals jobs.
In terms of water for the agricultural sector, the same logic applies. A truck load of sheep, cattle, milk, grain or vegetables is not only food, but also jobs and security of regional income. The recipe is simple, just add water and you can grow anything. If as predicted, the volatility of our weather increases, it is absolutely critical to have reliability.
Yes, we can all put tanks in and yes, we need to fix our water infrastructure, but the benefits of doing so will pale in comparison to future-focused large water storage schemes that capture water in times of excess.
The bureaucratic jumble that we seem to have created for ourselves needs sorting, and urgently, if we are ever going to plan ahead for future generations, to enable successful businesses, both industrial and agricultural and domestic requirements to be met.
The time to deliver is now, future generations will not thank us for doing nothing, for to do nothing is to steal their future.
Who am I? Mike Butterick is a Wairarapa farmer and former 50 Shades of Green lobbyist.
