Toxic algae in Masterton’s Waipoua River is likely caused by farming and may be impacting stream life, according to an agricultural scientist.
Mark Heath, an environmental scientist from Wellington Regional Council, was commenting on an outbreak of cyanobacteria, which is commonly known as toxic algae or algal bloom.
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The material can be dangerous and even fatal to dogs and cause skin irritation for swimmers. Warning notices have been placed along the Waipoua River bank jointly by Greater Wellington Regional Council, Masterton District Council and Regional Public Health.
And so public health and people's recreation are sacrificed to the profits of rapacious, polluting farmers. How long are we going to let this go on? Its time we regulated farmers to stop them poisoning our rivers.