Interesting facts

Did you know?

• Every year approximately 75,000 litres of detergents and 12,000 kilograms of dirt and other pollutants flow into North Shore City’s streams, lake and beaches from people washing their cars on the road.
• Fifteen per cent of pollution incidents reported to North Shore City Council are traced to painting activities.
• The chemicals found in one cigarette butt can leach out and contaminate approximately 7.5 litres of water within one hour. This contaminated water is lethal to small crustaceans and other aquatic life.
• Concrete washings are arguably the most harmful, yet least recognised pollutant entering our waterways. Thirty per cent of all fish kills reported in Auckland streams are due to concrete and cement washwater discharges.
• You would need a large road tanker full of water (approximately 10,000 litres) to neutralise 1 litre of cement slurry. Dilution is not the solution, as it only extends the deadly effects further downstream.
• Every year in the Auckland region over 85,000 tonnes of dirt enters our streams, lakes, estuaries and harbours. Sediment can kill aquatic organisms just like a chemical can.
• Worldwide, sediment is by volume the biggest single water pollutant. In Auckland, sediment is the largest cause of shellfish losses in our estuaries, not chemical spills.
• In a stream entering Lucas Creek, a major sediment discharge wiped out the native trout that then took almost seven years to re-establish in the stream.
• Organic substances like food and grass clippings can cause significant adverse effects if allowed enter into a waterway.
• Approximately nine million litres of oil is unaccounted for each year in the Auckland region – which probably means we end up swimming and fishing in it! Just 1 litre of oil can cover the surface of 100m2 of water.
• Water that goes down our outside drains flow directly to our streams, Lake Pupuke and beaches without being treated.

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