2. Freshwater Management—Water Quality of Rivers and LakesCATHERINE DELAHUNTY (Green) to the Minister for the EnvironmentFreshwater Management—Water Quality of Rivers and Lakes2. CATHERINE DELAHUNTY (Green) to the Minister for the Environment: How would he describe the state of Aotearoa's rivers and lakes this summer?Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister for the Environment): Good but not good enough. The Land Air Water Aotearoa website that our Government helped establish in 2014 gives real-time E. coli data on 205 specific river and lake sites around New Zealand—184 or 90 percent of those are currently meeting the Ministry of Health guidelines for swimming. There are rivers and lakes where water quality is unacceptably low and that is why our Government is doing so much work in this area. I am planning on releasing comprehensive information on water quality across New Zealand later this month as well as tighter rules to improve the state of our rivers and lakes.Catherine Delahunty: How would he describe the state of Coes Ford on the Selwyn River/Waikirikiri once a popular swimming hole but due to more than 100 percent of the water being allocated for irrigation as well as the effects of climate change is now a puddle of algae?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: I would draw the member's attention to the Environment Canterbury water quality scientist who pointed out that Canterbury has had 3 very dry years and that that has contributed. It is also true that Canterbury needs tighter rules on water quality around nutrients. This Government with the support of the Environment Canterbury commissioners has put in place the first caps and limits on nutrients in that region because water quality is not acceptable.Catherine Delahunty: Will the Government commit to doing whatever it takes including winding up Government subsidies for irrigation schemes in order to prevent other rivers in Aotearoa suffering the same fate as the Selwyn River/Waikirikiri?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: The member makes two mistakes—the first is to assume that the only water quality problems in New Zealand are in rural areas when actually some of our most polluted water bodies are in our cities and if we are to clean up waterbodies in New Zealand both town and country need to do their share of the lifting. The second poor assumption the member makes is that water storage schemes automatically result in reduced water quality. I could give the member numerous examples of schemes such as for instance in my own electorate with the Waimea community dam that will enable us to both improve water quality and increase horticulture production.Catherine Delahunty: What will he do to resuscitate the Selwyn River/Waikirikiri which does not even meet the national standard of being safe for wading or boating simply because there is no water left in it?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: The Government can do many things but it cannot make it rain. But interestingly—the member will be aware of the support this Government has given to the central plains water storage scheme. There is an opportunity to use that storage scheme to actually reinject water into the aquifer and the springs which would make a material and positive difference to the quality of water at the very area the member seeks.Scott Simpson: What advice has he seen from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment about the practicality of all rivers and all lakes being swimmable all of the time?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Dr Jan Wright has been a consistent and well-informed advocate for cleaner rivers and lakes but I did note her statement this week that to make a decree that every single place is swimmable is not necessarily right". I think she is correct. We need stronger rules to improve water quality that are aspirational but they also the Government believes need to be practical.Catherine Delahunty: How will he protect the world-famous waters and wāhi tapu of Waikoropupū Springs from the increased nitrate pollution that is certain to occur if plans to increase irrigation for dairy farming upstream are allowed?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: That is not the technical information I have had from the Tasman District Council and its water-quality scientists but I think the really important thing about those very special springs is that there is a proposal—from both iwi and the community—for a water conservation order on that area. It is my intention to advance that through the proper legal process.Catherine Delahunty: Given what he has heard from New Zealanders who want to be able to swim in their local rivers does he intend to announce a new national standard from "wadeable" to actually "swimmable" in the near future?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: The Government is considering the 4000-plus submissions that were received on the next steps in freshwater management which were published last year. It is my hope that before the end of this month we will be able to respond to those submissions and changes to policy."