Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Council to act on cow pollution of rivers

Updated at 8:27 am on 9 December 2011

Whangarei District Council is to change land leases in some areas to try to stop cattle fouling rivers.

The decision follows action by a local man Milan Ruka, who bought a boat and camera and began filming the pollution of waterways.

The Regional Council has said there is little it can do, despite pictures of dead cows, cattle grazing on unfenced river banks and stock drinking from streams.

However, Whangarei deputy mayor Phil Halse says his council leases riparian land to farmers in the Hikurangi drainage area and it has a reponsibility to look after it.

Mr Halse says the council will make it a condition of its leases that farmers must fence off the rivers.

He says if they no longer want to lease the land, the council will fence it off from their farms.

Mr Ruka says the council's decision is commendable but says there are large reaches of the river outside council control.

He told Morning Report people have been in contact from all over New Zealand to ask how to help in his crusade.

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