Science Media Centre

A campylobacter outbreak in Havelock North affected an estimated 4000 people, sent dozens to the emergency department and sparked an inquiry into what happened and how well the response was managed. We’ve worked with experts to answer some simple and frequently-asked questions about the water in our aquifers, how it’s linked to surface water, and […]

A Government Inquiry will examine the water contamination that left an estimated 4000 Havelock North residents ill with gastroenteritis. The draft terms of reference, released yesterday, specify that the inquiry will look at the cause of contamination and response, but also consider practices and recommendations to prevent future occurrences. The SMC gathered comment on the […]

An outbreak of gastroenteritis – likely caused by Campylobacter – has sent at least 20 people to hospital in Hawke’s Bay. Hawke’s Bay District Health Board Medical Officer of Health Dr Nick Jones has said the majority of people presenting with the illness were affected by Campylobacter, a water-borne bacteria. Dr Jones has told media that animal faeces […]

Hydraulic fracturing — a technology commonly known as “fraccing” or “fracking” — widely used in the oil and gas industry overseas has recently triggered some controversy in New Zealand, with critics raising questions over potential environmental impacts. Though the technology has not long been used in New Zealand, it is expected to be a key […]

Wrangling over water issues Polluted rivers, dirty dairying, greening the MacKenzie Country, dams for hydro-power and water allocation — these are just some of the big water issues that have been in the headlines in recent months. Although freshwater is relatively abundant in New Zealand, uneven distribution of water resources and increasingly intensive use have […]

Gerald Piddock writes in the Timaru Herald about groundwater – scientists say that the impact on our groundwater of intensive agriculture might not be known for decades, as it could take that long for any contaminants to reach monitoring sites. While effects on shallow groundwater might be seen fairly rapidly, effects on deep groundwater would […]

Groundwater is a crucial natural resource — around one third of the water used in New Zealand comes from underground — but it can be easily overlooked in the contentious debates surrounding declining water quality and resource management. With the highly-anticipated recommendations from the Land and Water Forum on freshwater management reform due back to […]