Water Pressure Group NetNews

 

OPEN LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER AND MP FOR MT ALBERT – HELEN CLARK

15 June 2002
 

Dear Prime Minister,

a)   Do you support the precautionary principle that the future risk to public health is minimised by  using ‘best raw water first’  for drinking water supplies?
b) Do you acknowledge that for Watercare to say that treated Waikato river water will be safe to drink, means that it will comply with or better New Zealand Drinking Water Standards (NZDWS 2000), and  thus does not minimise the risk to public health, because NZDWS 2000 only measure 137 of the thousands of bugs and chemicals that flow into the Waikato river from factory effluent, leaching landfills, agricultural chemicals, road pollutant runoff and sewerage outflows?
c) Do you  agree that the short and long term health risks to people of the Auckland region from drinking Waikato river water as a raw source of drinking water should be assessed, managed and minimised?
d) Do you  agree that  evidence of such public health risk assessment, management and minimisation should be available from the drinking water suppliers; ‘wholesalers’Watercare services; ‘retailers’ the Line Network Operators;  Local Authorities and Medical Officers for Health in the Auckland region who have statutory duties for public health?
e) Are you aware that as of this date, no replies have yet been forthcoming  to Official Information requests for evidence of such public health risk assessment, management and minimisation that have been made to:
The Director General of Health
The CEO of Watercare Services
The CEO of Metrowater Ltd
The CEO of Auckland City Council
f) Do you agree that decisions that have major implications for public health should be made by Local Authority Trading Enterprises (LATEs) which apparently have no statutory duties for public health?
(Namely the proposed signing of the bulk water contract between Watercare Services and Metrowater Ltd without the involvement of the elected representatives on the Auckland City Council – see the attached letter from  the manager of Democracy Services for Auckland City Council.)
g) Do you acknowledge that Watercare Services as a Local Authority Trading Enterprise (LATE) has as its main objective getting a return on its $165 million pipeline as soon as possible?
h) Are you aware that within your electorate, Mt Albert, some suburbs will not be getting Waikato water; namely Mt Albert, Avondale, and Blockhouse Bay but the rest will?
Do you agree with the principle that all of your constituents should receive the best quality ‘raw’ water first?
i) What  action  will you initiate or support, as Prime Minister and MP for Mt Albert to ensure that the future risk to public health of the people of Auckland generally and  constituents of your electorate in particular is minimised by  Watercare Services using  ‘best raw water first’  for drinking water supplies?
 

Yours truly,

Penny Bright     Mered Barrar
Media Spokesperson    Media Spokesperson
Water Pressure Group (Auckland)   Citizens Against Privatisation
86 A School Rd Kingsland
Ph: (09) 846 9825     Ph: (09) 836 6389

Reply still waiting 13-07-02