Polluters agree to clean up river

The region is a step closer to a healthy Manawatu River after its main polluters made a promise to work towards cleaning it up.

The key dischargers are to sign a written agreement next month, making a commitment to the community to work towards a healthier river that can be used by all.

The decision follows months of private meetings with industry, including Fonterra, DB Breweries and New Zealand Pharmaceuticals, who discharge into the river, along with the region's four mayors. The groups said it was time to do something about the level of waste poured into the river.

Environmental groups such as Forest and Bird, Fish and Game New Zealand and the Department of Conservation agreed to join forces to help them do it.

Yesterday's outcome follows years of high emotion, shaming and blaming over the river's pollution level.

The meetings were organised by Horizons Regional Council, which is responsible for protecting the river, after the extremely high levels of pollution were highlighted in November 2009.

Some areas of the river are too polluted to swim in. Fish, insects and other river life are dying.

A report by scientist Roger Young from the Cawthron Institute in Nelson named the Manawatu River as one of the most polluted of 300 tested throughout the Western world.

Only a select group of people from industry, farming, community and environmental groups were invited to the meetings.

Yesterday's deal will be taken back to representatives' respective organisations for agreement before the leaders return to officially sign the agreement in early August.

Independent chair of the forum, Richard Thompson, said the collective agreement centred around the development of an action plan for improvements, expected to be developed by March 2011.

- © Fairfax NZ News