Maketu estuary polluted

Tu Tangata, Issue 20, 1 October 1984, Page 24

Maketu estuary polluted

by Foster Nuimata

Nearly a hundred submissions have come from a survey on the future of the Maketu estuary, in the Bay of Plenty.

Mr Terry Loomis, a social scientist, wanted a mixed bag of perspectives, so he sampled 37 adults representing 12%

of the Maketu population. He also sampled 20 to 30 people from outlying areas and about 15 groups varying from Kohanga Reo to forest and bird societies over a period of four weeks in July and August. The general opinion from the submissions is that most of the public want the Kaituna River diverted back to the est-

uary mouth at least partially, to clear the hazardous sandbars there. Local residents are angry that for years, the seafood resources of the Te Arawa and Tuwharetoa tribes have been severely polluted and abused with the diversion of the river. Dr Phillip Tortell, senior investigating officer for the commission for the environment, says “The river was diverted from the estuary several years ago to alleviate flooding there, but now the entrance has become unstable.” “The main channel of the estuary at low tide is 15 centimetres and this has made it difficult to navigate boats.” he added. Mr Loomis, who is working for the commission, says that a public workshop was called to discuss the submissions in Maketu on September 22. The meeting helped identify the history of problems in the estuary and the problems that have developed because of silt and pollution for example. Two or three options should result, and research into each proposal over the following months will help the Tauranga County Council and Bay of Plenty Catchment Commission implement the best option. “Though the process is fairly lengthy, people have waited so long for research so that some action will be done soon,” says Mr Loomis.