Your recent front page article on the code red state of the fresh water at Whangarei Falls and Mangamuka Scenic Reserve, south of Kaitaia, indicate how poorly managed our local government organisations are.
To continue to blame farmers with no conclusive proof of the source of e coli, or willingness to engage community, is an indication where we are at in Northland.
Recent highlights to this effect was the non-action taken by NRC in the flooding at Lake Omarpere and the now dire situation there is now. Continuing to blame farmers and not action of any reports by Millan Ruka's Environment River Patrol is a fair indication by senior staff of local government in their unwillingness to enhance and protect our communities fresh water sources.
Why not spend some money NRC on actually DNA testing e coli sources in these code red waters then we as a community will have the conclusive evidence to start fixing the problem? Stop using farmers as an excuse for poor management. Like the recent pollution in the Piha estuary, the sources may well be human sewage. Then who is responsible?
Remember signs will not stop people swimming and if we identified contamination sources like sewage discharges more of our waters would be swimmable. Councils, regional and local, should aim for all swimming sites in Northland to be enhanced not remain in the poor state like these two have for numerous years.
