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335 days ago

Westland creek pollution proves tricky for council

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

By local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:

Murky discoloured water in Waimea Creek has become a sticking point for the West Coast Regional Council.

The catchment is one of the most intensive gold mining areas in the region at present with up to a dozen operations into the creek's upper reaches at Stafford and above Goldsborough.

Acting consents and compliance manager Rachel Clark told the Resource Management Committee last week that tracing the source of dirty mine water in the Waimea was proving tricky.

However a gold miner on the catchment who contacted the Greymouth Star immediately after the meeting on Tuesday noted the discolouration giving the creek a blue-grey appearance had appeared again that day.

The man, who declined to be named, said it was a bad look and he could not understand why it was so difficult for council to trace the culprit when the source seemed obvious to him.

"I know where it is coming from. It's very blue - it's obviously coming off the reef."

Blue-grey papa is usually associated with the gold bearing reefs within alluvial layers of gravel in the area.

The anonymous miner said the creek was in the same state in the previous 10 days when it had "ponded up" at the mouth, although it had now apparently blown out making the discolouration more obvious.

"It's not too difficult to trace where it's coming from - it's whether they want to put the effort in to trace it."

The miner said the council in past years would have acted decisively and shut down a culprit found to be the source immediately.

"They would never have got away with it," he said.

Clark said on Wednesday they had been notified of the latest incident and staff were looking into it.

"Someone is down there now," she said.

Similar incidents were investigated "almost immediately" as they were reported.

She earlier noted the compliance team had another busy month with the Waimea catchment "one of the biggest things" in council's sights.

As late as last Monday (July 10), the council had received reports again of a discoloured Waimea Creek.

"Again we're struggling with the lull between what has been seen and it being reported," she said.

At the same time council individual miners had been self reporting dirty water discharges.

Clark said they were potentially looking at doing some further investigation around the Waimea mouth.

"That's an issue and we're looking into it."

Councillor Peter Haddock noted the intensity of mining activity inland on what he described as "a slow moving creek" made the issue complex.

*Public interest journalism funded through NZ On Air

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1 day ago

Poppa's pulled pork

Ernest Rutherford Retirement Village

As the weather cools and cosy evenings become the norm, there’s nothing better than cranking up the heat and treating yourself to heartwarming comfort food. If you're craving a winter recipe that'll warm you from the inside out, look no further than Brent's irresistible slow-cooked pulled pork. Its smoky, aromatic scent often wafts from Brent’s apartment at Ryman’s Kevin Hickman Village, tempting taste buds and stirring appetites. With its tender meat and velvety sauce, this dish is every bit as delicious as it sounds – you’ll be reaching for seconds, thirds, and maybe even fourths!

Click read more for the full recipe.

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6 days ago

Poll: Are swear words no longer?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

In 2023, Apple amended its autocorrect function to allow Iphone users to freely use their intended word without mentioning 'ducks'. Is this a sign of the times? Are swear words no longer taboo in our communities or workplaces?

Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the Conversations column of your local paper.

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Are swear words no longer?
  • 20.5% Yes - swear words don't phase me
    20.5% Complete
  • 48.6% No - it's still inappropriate to swear
    48.6% Complete
  • 30.2% It's depends on the word
    30.2% Complete
  • 0.8% Other - I'll share below!
    0.8% Complete
2714 votes