I spent Wednesday morning poking around the Mangatainoka River near Pahiatua in north Wairarapa. The Mangatainoka is one of the major tributaries of the Manuwatu River.
I was looking for the discharge point for Fonterra's Pahiatua processing plant.
Fonterra is asking for a 22 year extension of their existing consent to discharge condensate (the hot slightly milky water that is evaporated off the milk to produce milk powder) into the Mangatainoka.
I did eventually find it coming out into this small stream, Brechin Stream, connecting to the Mangatainoka.
As you can see in the photos below, the stream is heavily affected by pollution - almost certainly the nitrogen in the discharge is leading to this heavy algal growth in the stream. The open manhole shows the discharge just before it enters the stream. It smells strongly of hot milk and steam comes out of the hole.
Now Fonterra argues that the Mangatainoka is already so heavily polluted that it makes little difference. And there's quite a lot of truth in that.
In fact the Mangatainoka is so heavily impacted by sediment that in places the sediment actually stops algal growth by smothering the rocks - the algal growth is due to the high levels of nutrient in the water.
And it's dangerous for swimming.
But the fact that it is currently polluted is no argument for continuing to pollute it. If we keep polluting the Mangatainoka like we have always done then it will always be a mess.
Fonterra needs to show some leadership - that what the Manawatu Accord was all about.
A view of the Mangatainoka from the bridge near Pahiatua - you can see the Fonterra plant as a white spot over on the right
The Fonterra plant at Pahiatua
Brechin Stream coming into Mangatainoka
Brechin Stream up close
Heavy algal growth in Brechin Stream
Algal growth covering rocks in the stream
Open manhole cover with discharge passing through
Underwater Mangatainoka showing sediment accumulation over rocks and algal growth
Horizons Regional Council warning sign next to Mangatainoka
