 Normal every day activities that people take for granted have the potential to reduce the quality of stream waters. In general, people do not deliberately intend to pollute, but most are unaware of the effects of their actions. The majority of people in Auckland care about the place in which they live and want to protect the environment. The best place to start is at your, home, work, school or community facility, such as marae.
Many activities have the potential to adversely affect the relationship of Maori and their culture and traditions with their ancestral water, sites, waahi tapu and other taonga in relation to waterways. Of particular concern are any actions that degrade or deplete stream life, particularly those species gathered and used by Tangata Whenua. These actions include the discharge of human sewage, mixing of waters from different sources, degradation of water quality and damage to or destruction of waahi tapu.
Water pollution occurs when materials that are not normally found at harmful quantities in the environment are allowed to escape from our control and enter water. Frequently pollution occurs when materials are spilled or discharged onto the ground and flow into stormwater drains. These drains are designed to carry rainwater directly to the nearest natural water body. Unfortunately they will also transport any untreated pollutants as well. Many such discharges occur daily throughout the Auckland Region. Whether in tiny or large amounts and regardless of the type of pollutants, they can compromise our waterways.
A fundamental principle of caring for the environment is ensuring that the environmental impacts of everyday activities are minimised as much as possible. Unfortunately the things that we all do every day can affect the quality of water, harming the creatures that live in it and reducing our own enjoyment of it. Give yourself a pollution rating – complete the Household Pollution Survey and find out how activities you do, affect our waterways. Once you have completed this activity, you can be confident you have minimised stormwater pollution which is directly linked to your actions.
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