Alison Bleaney

To be frank, I am disappointed but not surprised by your response. However it is disconcerting that in Tasmania, the Minister with responsibility for Primary Industry and Water feels unable or unwilling to engage in a forthright discourse on water quality and pesticide use in water catchments.

30 December 2006.
David Llewellyn MHA,
Parliament House,
Hobart,
Tas 7000

Dear Minister Llewellyn,

Water Quality and Pesticide Monitoring in Water Catchments.

Thank you for your reply to my letter of 17 November 2006 on 7 December 2006.

To be frank, I am disappointed but not surprised by your response. However it is disconcerting that in Tasmania, the Minister with responsibility for Primary Industry and Water feels unable or unwilling to engage in a forthright discourse on water quality and pesticide use in water catchments.

The June 06 flood test results (DPIW website) again showed the Duck River to be polluted with MCPA at four times the detection limit.

I would also ask which section(s) of the community you feel are satisfied with the current monitoring program, given that you state that the individual interests of every section of the community cannot be met.

Your last sentence could be interpreted as being deceptive and should perhaps include or make reference to the following points:

Only some individual parent pesticides are being sampled for during routine quarterly water grab sampling.

Pesticides that are highly adsorbed and those that adhere to glass will probably not be detected by current testing methods.

No degradation products e.g. for atrazine and simazine or excipients (wetting agents, surfactants etc) are being tested for.

The community remains unaware as to what processes are put in place to remediate river water pollution, and to prevent pollution recurrences.

Drinking water quality therefore remains in question.
.
I am not sure that adding anything further at present would be beneficial, but I would be willing to meet with you to explain some of these issues if you feel it would be useful.

Yours sincerely,

Alison Bleaney

Cc The Premier, Paul Lennon
Hon Will Hodgman MHA
Hon Peg Putt MHA