Masterton

Welcome to cancer.net.nz and my appeal to you if you are a Masterton resident to take an interest in your water supply. The reason is simple: there is evidence to suggest that Masterton has double the heart failure and cancer rates of the main centres because of the way in which Masterton water is treated.

As backgound, Masterton District has four main water supplies - Fernridge, Opaki, Whareama and Kaituna. Residents on the Fernridge and Opaki schemes have always been free of the cancer epidemic. Their water is unchlorinated. Whareama residents became free of the cancer epidemic in 2003/2004 when their chlorine dosing equipment was shut down at their request. Now the only remaining water scheme in which there is a cancer epidemic is Kaituna which supplies Masterton township.

If you are a Masterton resident then you can play a part in following the lead set by Whareama residents.

These links are to my submission to MDC to shut down chlorination and to change from sand to ceramic bead filters:

         Masterton water treatment submission
         Masterton water treatment addenda

This further link relates to air pollution and leukaemia:

         Masterton submission addenda

There are 78 unnecessary deaths each year from the Kaituna treatment plant, but this is insufficient to move the Council to upgrade. As of 3 August the Council has agreed to a 3 month stay to allow time for a report on the cost differences between upgrading and staying with the status quo. If there is little or no difference then the Council would consider upgrading on the basis of improved pathogen control and taste with the upgrade option.

The Council has budgeted approximately $900,000 to repair and reload the existing filters. This money could be best spent upgrading the filter media to ceramic beads. If you are in favour of ending Masterton's cancer epidemic then please email "I support chlorine free water at Kaituna," or something similar, to the CEO to show that you would like to see the Kaituna water supply brought into line with the three other supplies in Masterton District.

The CEO's email address is <west@mstn.govt.nz> and, for transparency, please CC to me at   <cancer.debunk@yahoo.com>

At the 3 August Policy and Finance meeting I was passed a letter from the Medical Officer of Health, which was sent to the Council in March, and I have replied to her.

          Letter from the Medical Officer of Health
       Reply to the Medical Officer of Health

I will add updates as we go. All the best.