A project run by the Institute of Environmental Science and Research, aimed at testing and monitoring freshwater to make sure it’s safe for swimming, will get $5.8 million of Jobs for Nature funding.
Land, Air and Water Aotearoa (LAWA) data released on World Rivers Day in September shows two-thirds of monitored sites are considered unsuitable for swimming from a public health risk perspective.
The project, Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA), will develop tools that can better assess the current health risks from pathogens and indicate when the water isn’t safe to swim in.
The QMRA approach was first used in 2003 to develop the current freshwater recreational guidelines, but because land use and waste management practices changed, up to date information on the indicators and pathogens was needed. This is what this project will aim to do.
This latest funding announcement will also see new regional council jobs in monitoring teams across Aotearoa. These employees will be trained in water quality monitoring and other environmental management skills such as catchment assessment and assessing barriers to fish passage.
The Councils who have signed up to working with the QMRA project are; Waikato, Northland, Auckland, Canterbury, Taranaki, Southland, Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay and Nelson
The Jobs for Nature programme aims to boost jobs, training and environmental benefits while accelerating the recovery from the impact of COVID-19.
As of the latest full update, over 421 projects have received funding and more than 9,262 people have worked in, or are working in, Jobs for Nature-funded jobs