Canterbury is behind on its regional water quality targets, but is making strong progress on irrigation goals.
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The report showed nitrate levels were increasing in about 25 per cent of monitored wells, and decreasing in about 4 per cent.
The target is to show "a demonstrable decrease in nitrate concentrations in shallow groundwater in priority areas" by 2020.
It was a poor result, said Canterbury medical officer of health Dr Alistair Humphrey.
This isn't that surprising, because irrigation means more cows, which in turn means more nitrates. So the targets are in direct opposition to each other. Canterbury has to choose between more irrigation, or safe water. And the only reason they haven't been able to choose the latter is because National has suspended their local democracy.