Sage Eugenie: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is subject to correctionSage Eugenie: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 07 November 2013. Volume:694;Page:14494. Text is subject to correction.]11.EUGENIE SAGE (Green) to theAssociate Minister of Health: Does she agree with the Canterbury Medical Officer of Health that increasing nitrate levels in Canterbury groundwater are a health risk particularly for pregnant women and babies; if not why not?Hon JO GOODHEW (Associate Minister of Health): I thank the member for the opportunity to talk about the actual magnitude of health risk currently faced in Canterbury due to nitrate levels in water. Firstly there are no community drinking-water supplies in Canterbury that have unsafe levels of nitrate. Secondly in Canterbury the concerns are for people on their own individual household bores and the community and public health advisory committee is encouraging people to test their supplies for nitrate as there may be some that are of some risk to some people. The medical officer of health and his colleagues are working with lead maternitycarers to make sure that pregnant women and families with babies know to have their water checked if they are on individual bore water.Eugenie Sage: Although the Associate Minister says that there are no community water supplies that are unsafe is she concerned that there are at least eight community drinking-water supplies in Canterbury that now have to be monitored because their nitrate levels are more than half the maximum acceptable value as determined by the World Health Organization compared with only two community water supplies that were in that position in 2010-11?Hon JO GOODHEW: I think the point the member makes is that these particular supplies are being monitored and I would agree that that is in fact where we should be. These particular supplies are at 25 milligrams or a little more per litre. That is the level of nitrate in the drinking water that triggers the monthly monitoring. It is in fact the essence of the issue—that we are monitoring them. None of these particular water supplies is above the maximum allowable value and that is the point to make.Eugenie Sage: Does the Associate Minister think it is acceptable that Canterbury midwives have to advise expectant mothers to test their drinking water because her Government has failed to stop the pollution of our groundwater through agricultural intensification?Hon JO GOODHEW: I absolutely reject the assertion of the member. It is under this very Government that in fact we are working to clean up fresh water. The announcement of the Minister for the Environment today certainly underlines that at long last Governments are grasping difficult issues. In the meantime I think it is entirely responsible that midwives are giving correct and timely advice to women who are pregnant so that the women can make sure they understand any risk that occurs for them.Eugenie Sage: How many more wells and community drinking-water supplies will need to have elevated nitrate levels before her Government reconsiders its promotion of large-scale irrigation and intensification of agriculture which causes nitrate leaching and pollutes our drinking water?Hon JO GOODHEW: It is absolutely important that as a public health measure we continue to monitor nitrates and other things that are in our drinking water. That is the action this Government is taking. The member is perhaps being a little creative to suggest that only agriculture is causing the nitrate levels.