“The cost for the wine industry to implement freshwater farm plans will be between $4.03 million and $20.13 million, which is a cost burden that can only add to the retail price of NZ wine,” writes wine columnist RICHARD CALVER. 

IN my thirties, I took a trip down the Colorado River, paddling, rowing and camping on glorious white sand beaches that framed many a twist and turn on the journey through the Grand Canyon and beyond. 

At the time, the guides warned us about drinking the water. It was always boiled or treated before we drank it (unless we fell out of one of the boats). The river had, more than 30 years ago, been affected by the parasite giardia.

The parasite is now in waterways and supplies here and in NZ. It is bothersome to humans to say the least. It causes the diarrheal disease giardiasis. 

Giardia is found on surfaces or in soil, food or water that has been contaminated with faeces from infected people or animals. A trusted medical research website told me that there are up to 600,000 cases of giardiasis in Australia each year, and more than 280 million cases worldwide. The disease has a high impact on children in impoverished communities, including in remote indigenous communities in Australia. 

It is not the only issue with water quality that has declined over time but, for me, is symbolic of the deterioration in quality of our waterways, brought home after my February trip to NZ where drinking out of free-flowing streams was not recommended because of giardia.

What has this to do with wine you say? There was only one historic figure who could turn water into wine. Well, these thoughts were triggered by a recent “Daily Wine News” article where the NZ wine industry is pushing back against an initiative to assist to make that country’s waterways cleaner.

In NZ, freshwater farm plans will be rolled out from mid this year and will be required for all farms (including vineyards) above five hectares; they will need to be certified in the first instance and then audited annually to ensure compliance with government requirements. 

The objective is to make sure the primary production sector plays its part to improve freshwater quality in NZ’s lakes, streams and rivers.

The CEO of NZ Winegrowers Phillip Egan has argued that the regulations should be risk-based and that the cost to the NZ wine industry will be disproportionate. This has sparked my ambivalence. The industry makes a good point in saying that regulations should be risk-based.

According to NZ Winegrowers, in 2021 there were 1342 vineyards over five hectares in NZ. In addition the likely cost of developing a freshwater farm plan would be between $3000 and $15,000 per property. 

This means that the cost for the wine industry to implement the regulations will be between $4.03 million and $20.13 million, which is a cost burden that can only add to the retail price of NZ wine. 

In the view of the growers’ representative, this cost is disproportionate to the risk to water posed by the wine industry. He also says that, given the wine industry’s low impact on water quality, this cost will result in negligible environmental gain.

My mind is not yet made up about the utility of the government’s plans. It’s clear that the wastewater from winemaking facilities has the potential to contaminate groundwater, but that is obviously a risk that needs to be managed at each and every winery. Growers seem to have a good point in that all laws should be proportionate to the “mischief” that they seek to avoid.

But my ambivalence arises because unless NZ and Australia can maintain our clean, green image, agriculture, including wine grape growing, will ultimately be worse off. Thoughts?