Volume One 15. Resource Quality (Water, Air, Soil) Monitoring of fresh and coastal water quality has demonstrated that stormwater discharges do sometimes degrade the quality of receiving waters. Periods of contamination tend to be episodic and are associated with rainfall events. The exception is when contaminants are deliberately washed or poured into the road kerb or stormwater drains. Stormwater can also pick up sewage through cross-connections between sewerage and stormwater pipes. This has been a particular problem in Picton and has caused periodic contamination of coastal water during rainfall events. Transport A large part of the urban areas that are serviced by reticulated stormwater systems are used extensively by and for motor transportation (this includes public and private carparks, service stations and roads). The deposition of materials such as petrochemicals and heavy metals from motor vehicles onto roads and vehicle servicing areas is a major source of water pollution. These contaminants are transported by runoff into the reticulated stormwater system and subsequently into coastal waters and rivers. Industrial and trade activities Nearly all water pollution caused by industrial and trade activities occurs through contaminants entering reticulated stormwater systems. The main causes are untidy yard practices, accidental spills and a lack of awareness within the workforce of the pollution consequences that can stem from actions on such sites. Other contributing factors include inappropriate storage of products, new industrial or trade premises moving into premises unsuited for their operation, illegal stormwater connections and inappropriate methods for the disposal of wastewater. Some trade waste entering the sewer contains human waste, such as mortuary and hospital wastes. Marlborough’s tangata whenua iwi consider that the discharge of human waste to fresh or coastal water is profoundly offensive and significantly diminishes the mauri of the receiving waters. Maritime activities Degradation of coastal waters can result from common maritime activities, including the discharge of human sewage and oily bilge water from ships, runoff from maritime industries such as boat builders, and general litter. The effects of these activities tend to be short- lived, unless they occur on a significant scale or are ongoing in a localised area. There is increasing awareness of the effect of antifoulants on coastal water quality. Antifoulants enter coastal water through leaching and boat maintenance activities. Marine farming involving fin fish requires the addition of feed, which has the potential to adversely affect coastal water quality in and around the marine farming operation. Land disturbance Land disturbance activities including excavation, cropping, clearance of land and harvest of commercial forest can expose soils to the elements and result in the runoff of sediment- laden water during and after rainfall events. Land development for residential, commercial and industrial purposes can have similar effects. Land disturbance activities associated with the installation of bores or the construction of dams can expose aquifers to contamination. While natural processes already affect water quality, it is important to ensure that our activities do not exacerbate this situation. 15 – 3