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Rachel Summerfield’s daughters Lilly, 4, and Ileana, 11 months, are adjusting to life with bottled water. PHOTO SUSAN SANDYS 291019-SS-0025
Frustrated at lack of information By Susan Sandys
susan.s@theguardian.co.nz
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Residents in Ashburton’s north-east are frustrated at not receiving further information following a boil water notice. On Thursday evening last week the Ashburton District Council put out a boil water advisory for private bore holders in the area, categorised as properties and lifestyle blocks on the outskirts of Ashburton towards Ashburton Airport. The council advised high microbial contamination had been found in their water supply, and that there was also a concern about high levels of nitrates.
Nitrates can cause blue baby syndrome, and the advisory urged residents with bottle-fed infants under six months to use bottled water to make up their baby formula. Mother of two Rachel Summerfield has an 11-month-old daughter, Ileana, and four-year-old daughter, Lilly, and has been using bottled water since the notice came out. She said she would like more information from the council on what was causing the possible microbial contamination and high nitrates, and what would be done about it. For example, in the case of high nitrates, she wanted to
know if there would be a long-term plan to assess and manage the issue. “I think the biggest concern is we don’t really know what’s happening,” Summerfield said. She was following council’s advice and having the family’s water bore sampled and tested, and was also investigating buying a filter for nitrates, but understood this was expensive. “But if it’s what we have to do, we have to do it,” she said.
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Motoring Friday,July5,2019
Jenny’s XK8 Jaguar is her dream car.
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