Wineries urged to use water wisely as aquifers shrink
A leading figure in wine sustainability says winegrowers and wineries need to use water more efficiently as climate change shrinks rivers and aquifers, which is already happening to Marlborough's Wairau River.
Marta Mendonca, head of viticulture sustainability organisation The Porto Protocol Foundation, spoke on the issue to winegrowers from around the world at Blenheim's ASB Theatre on Tuesday, for the Organic and Biodynamic Winegrowing Conference.
Mendonca said the wine industry needed to treat water less like a tool and more like a source of life. A more holistic view would help the industry navigate the effects of climate change, she said.
'We know water is life ... it nourishes our vines, it shapes our yield and quality and it shapes our mind as a whole.
'It's sacred, it's alive.'
ADVERTISEMENT
Marta Mendonca, head of viticulture sustainability organisation The Porto Protocol, speaking at the Organic and Biodynamic Winegrowing Conference. (Source: Local Democracy Reporting)
Mendonca urged winegrowers and wineries to look at their water footprint, the volumetric measure of water consumption and pollution impact per unit of product.
The framework took into account naturally occurring rainwater in the soil, irrigation and ground water, and the water needed to dilute pollution.
'It takes into account the source, it takes into account time and location, and it also takes into account indirect water use.'
Indirect water use in the production and bottling of wine was an area where significant water savings could be made, she said.
'Simply reducing the diameter of the hose [can] actually achieve really impressive results in terms of water reduction.
'Cleaning tanks with UV lighting has water reductions in terms of consumption of about 90%.'
ADVERTISEMENT
Mendonca said that wine companies were so focused on reducing their carbon footprint that they had not considered their water footprint.
'We don't even know if we have the answers, but we're not even asking the question.'
Mendonca said that water metering was an important start for measuring water footprint, but winegrowers need to go beyond simple metrics.
'This is our invitation, to go beyond measurements and to call for deeper situation.
'Measuring litres is a start, understanding systems is the goal.'
Charlotte Tomlinson, environmental scientist for Marlborough District Council, told attendees that a combination of climate change and flood prevention works had contributed to a decline in the Wairau River's aquifer levels.
Charlotte Tomlinson, left, says efficient use of water is key as Marlborough faces greater water shortages. (Source: Local Democracy Reporting)
ADVERTISEMENT
'The aquifer level has dropped since the 1970s by about 1m,' Tomlinson said.
'This will, and is starting to, have effects on spring and river flows in the lower Wairau.
'Our job is to start looking at ways to decrease or stop this declining trend in the aquifer, because this will have impacts on how much water may be available for use in the future.'
Tomlinson said that Marlborough would face water shortages earlier each year as spring and summer became hotter and dryer.
'You really rely on that spring rainfall and river flows, generally to top the [Wairau] aquifer up.
'So if we start to see spring and summer getting a little bit drier ... we'll likely have less water available to allocate to outward stream users when they need it most.
'Which means that efficient use of water will be key.'
By Kira Carrington for Local Democracy Reporting
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
1News
2 days ago
- 1News
Wineries urged to use water wisely as aquifers shrink
A leading figure in wine sustainability says winegrowers and wineries need to use water more efficiently as climate change shrinks rivers and aquifers, which is already happening to Marlborough's Wairau River. Marta Mendonca, head of viticulture sustainability organisation The Porto Protocol Foundation, spoke on the issue to winegrowers from around the world at Blenheim's ASB Theatre on Tuesday, for the Organic and Biodynamic Winegrowing Conference. Mendonca said the wine industry needed to treat water less like a tool and more like a source of life. A more holistic view would help the industry navigate the effects of climate change, she said. 'We know water is life ... it nourishes our vines, it shapes our yield and quality and it shapes our mind as a whole. 'It's sacred, it's alive.' ADVERTISEMENT Marta Mendonca, head of viticulture sustainability organisation The Porto Protocol, speaking at the Organic and Biodynamic Winegrowing Conference. (Source: Local Democracy Reporting) Mendonca urged winegrowers and wineries to look at their water footprint, the volumetric measure of water consumption and pollution impact per unit of product. The framework took into account naturally occurring rainwater in the soil, irrigation and ground water, and the water needed to dilute pollution. 'It takes into account the source, it takes into account time and location, and it also takes into account indirect water use.' Indirect water use in the production and bottling of wine was an area where significant water savings could be made, she said. 'Simply reducing the diameter of the hose [can] actually achieve really impressive results in terms of water reduction. 'Cleaning tanks with UV lighting has water reductions in terms of consumption of about 90%.' ADVERTISEMENT Mendonca said that wine companies were so focused on reducing their carbon footprint that they had not considered their water footprint. 'We don't even know if we have the answers, but we're not even asking the question.' Mendonca said that water metering was an important start for measuring water footprint, but winegrowers need to go beyond simple metrics. 'This is our invitation, to go beyond measurements and to call for deeper situation. 'Measuring litres is a start, understanding systems is the goal.' Charlotte Tomlinson, environmental scientist for Marlborough District Council, told attendees that a combination of climate change and flood prevention works had contributed to a decline in the Wairau River's aquifer levels. Charlotte Tomlinson, left, says efficient use of water is key as Marlborough faces greater water shortages. (Source: Local Democracy Reporting) ADVERTISEMENT 'The aquifer level has dropped since the 1970s by about 1m,' Tomlinson said. 'This will, and is starting to, have effects on spring and river flows in the lower Wairau. 'Our job is to start looking at ways to decrease or stop this declining trend in the aquifer, because this will have impacts on how much water may be available for use in the future.' Tomlinson said that Marlborough would face water shortages earlier each year as spring and summer became hotter and dryer. 'You really rely on that spring rainfall and river flows, generally to top the [Wairau] aquifer up. 'So if we start to see spring and summer getting a little bit drier ... we'll likely have less water available to allocate to outward stream users when they need it most. 'Which means that efficient use of water will be key.' By Kira Carrington for Local Democracy Reporting LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
1News
29-05-2025
- 1News
'Huge impact': Residents worry over traffic from new Tauranga development
Residents of a Tauranga suburb are concerned a new housing development will have a 'huge impact' on traffic that is already 'horrendous'. The residents want a second access added to the planned 13-hectare Pukemapu subdivision in Ōhauiti to alleviate their concerns, but Tauranga City Council says doing so would be prohibitively expensive. The new subdivision will be built on land that slopes down from the Rowesdale subdivision towards Pukemapu Rd, and an existing Rowesdale Drive house will be demolished to build the only access road. The developer Carrus said it was unknown how many homes would be built but the council website said about 200 were planned. Kerrie, who did not want her surname published, lives near Rowesdale Drive and said she and some other neighbours wanted the subdivision's developers to build a second access to Pukemapu Rd, which connects to Oropi Rd, to alleviate traffic pressures through Ōhauiti. ADVERTISEMENT 'It'll have a huge impact on the traffic. The traffic's already horrendous. 'It's a wider community that's affected. It's not just us, it's all of Ōhauiti and probably some of Welcome Bay as well. 'The developer should have to put in that [second] access point.' The area also didn't have schools or amenities like a supermarket, she said. Kerrie said the council had told her access to the subdivision was the developers' responsibility. Tauranga City Council bought two properties on Rowesdale Drive in Ōhauiti to enable access to the land behind for development. (Source: Local Democracy Reporting) 'The council is telling us we need to fight this with the developer to get the new road put in. It's nothing to do with council.' ADVERTISEMENT The council bought two properties at the end of Rowesdale Drive in 2020 to enable access to the Pukemapu land. These properties had covenants that prohibited them being used to enable development of the adjoining land. The council needed agreement from the other 21 property owners who were under the same covenant to change it to provide access to land behind. The alternative was to use a Public Works Act acquisition or High Court process to change the covenant. Talks with owners started in December 2021. The property owners obtained legal representation and an agreement on compensation was reached with the council in January 2023. The covenants on the two Rowesdale Drive properties were revoked, enabling access and services to the developable land. The covenants on other Rowesdale subdivision properties stayed the same. Rowesdale Drive residents are worried about the extra traffic that would be created by the new development. (Source: Local Democracy Reporting) ADVERTISEMENT Kerrie was also upset the council used ratepayer money to buy the homes. 'I just thought how unfair it was, our ratepayer money being used to buy two houses that they're just going to bowl down. They've used our ratepayer money to pay out [compensation to] those 21 properties.' Council strategy, growth and governance general manager Christine Jones said the council paid $2.33 million for the two properties but this would be paid back by the developer. Only one of the two homes would need to be demolished for the new road and the other house could be resold, she said. The total compensation for the 21 properties was $3.16m but the individual amounts were confidential, Jones said. The council paid two-thirds and the developer paid one-third but would pay the council share as development happened, she said. Developers Carrus and Classic Group were working together on the development and controlled most of the developable land, Jones said. ADVERTISEMENT Council strategy, growth and governance general manager Christine Jones (Source: Local Democracy Reporting) Council investigations showed Rowesdale Drive was the most suitable access point, she said. Multiple access points were preferable but not possible because of constraints and the costs involved, Jones said. The Pukemapu Rd option was not feasible and had a prohibitive cost, she said. Traffic congestion was a 'significant issue' during weekday-morning peak-hour but outside this the network generally performed well in Ōhauiti, Jones said. Carrus managing director Scott Adams (Source: NZME) (Source: NZME) 'While additional traffic will have effects on the community, the shortage of housing in the city also has significant impacts and this area is one of few options to make a meaningful addition to the city's housing supply in a relatively short timeframe.' ADVERTISEMENT The council agreed better schooling options were needed in the area and had been engaging with the Ministry of Education for some years, she said. 'We are also aware of the lack of retail and commercial offering in the suburb and plan to investigate this further as part of our upcoming review of commercial and industrial zones across the city.' The council was also considering investigating other access options for Ōhauiti, Jones said. Carrus managing director Scott Adams said they were working through options and timeframes for the development. 'We don't have a workable subdivision plan as yet.' Adams said it was unknown yet how many homes would be built. The land had been zoned residential for about 25 years, he said. ADVERTISEMENT Residential growth took up most of the water and wastewater capacity that was allocated for the project, and no infrastructure planning or upsizing had occurred since despite the residential zoning, Adams said. Having multiple transport connections to the site would be awesome, he said. 'The reality is traffic congestion is a citywide problem, and every motorist in the city endures it daily.' In his view: 'Transport planning has been neglected in Tauranga for decades.' Investment was needed to invest in highway network upgrades across the city to allow traffic to flow better, Adams said. - LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
1News
24-05-2025
- 1News
Run It Straight promoter wants to 'give back to the people'
Run It Straight took over Sylvia Park on Thursday night, running giveaways and a meet and greet after two South Auckland events were canned. Charizma, real name Christian Lesa, was born in Aotearoa and moved to Sydney as a kid. The CEO and owner of Run It Straight told Local Democracy Reporting that a couple of events had been cancelled. "Tonight [Thursday] was just about still finding ways to give back to the people, especially with the low economic status happening right now, with everything being so expensive," Charizma said. "Like I said in one of the videos: you can stop our events, but you can't stop our f***ing motion." The group announced on Instagram earlier this week that Auckland Council had prevented their South Auckland events, saying they were "called in and told we're not allowed to run any on the local field". However, council officials deny this, saying no permit requests were ever made. The 'Run It' events are a social media-driven trend where participants compete in full-contact collisions without protective gear, raising serious health concerns over concussion and injury risks. Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board chair Tauanu'u Nick Bakulich opposed two south Auckland events due to the risks of brain and health-related injuries. But on Thursday night, hundreds lined up outside Foot Locker at Sylvia Park, with the crowd spilling into the car park. The group pivoted to an in-store meet-and-greet, inviting supporters on their social media platforms to come down and join them. The group said they were giving away $3000 worth of gift cards, t-shirts from sponsors Bad Apples, and $1000 cash. Charizma said the idea of Run It Straight came to him while he was in the hospital, facing mental health struggles. "I woke up and my brother was there. Being there and seeing my son, he was crying at the end of the bed. That was the breaking point… This could have all been gone in an instant just because I made the wrong decision," he said. "The only reason I'm doing here and I feel good enough about myself is because I'm just being able to chase my dreams." Now, he said, he's using his platform to create visibility for those often underestimated. "Brown skin, melanin, there's not many opportunities for us. We're all looked at as just people who can play sport and that's it, no brains." The Run It championship league attempted to mirror the physical collisions seen during rugby league or union games, but has some concerned. (Source: 1News) He says he wants to break down barriers. 'Everyone's saying this is dumb... but when we have UFC fighters that are from here and we cheer them on, everyone wants to praise them. 'All of a sudden, we run a sport that has a little bit of risk, we get shut down. So every beginning - and everything that has a great ending — has a rough beginning.' Responding to safety concerns about the collision events, Charizma said they ensure it's a safe as possible, with medics and an ambulance on site. 'People are saying our sport is about going until someone gets knocked out. That's rubbish. That's bulls***. It's not about that". "It's about whoever has the biggest hit moving on to the next round. We've had about three knockouts in eight shows. People can say what they want, but if you're not there, then you don't know.' Charizma said his group is not affiliated with the RUNIT Championships League. Taryn Crewe, Auckland Council general Manager Parks and Community Facilities, says the council has not declined or cancelled any Run It Straight events in Auckland. Run It Straight organisers had not applied for any event permits or made any requests to book council-owned or managed sites. Even if an application had been received, it would be unlikely to meet council guidelines due to health and safety concerns and the current high demand for sports fields, Crewe said. Miga Tuigamala, store manager at Foot Locker Sylvia Park, said the event was about uplifting the community, supporting Pacific youth, and backing the boys behind 'Run It Straight'. "The purpose was to represent us as Islanders out South... just doing what's right for the 'Run It Straight' guys," she said. While acknowledging the risks involved, she likens it to what's seen on the rugby field. "Most of the best rugby players come from the islands. What we see them do is what we normally see on the footy field." Of the group themselves she says: "They're lovely guys. They look big and scary, but they're not. Most Islanders, we're all big and scary, but we've all got a big heart. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
