800,000 New Zealanders face potentially hazardous nitrate levels in water supplies, warns sustainability consultant Gord Stewart.

800,000 New Zealanders face water supplies with potentially hazardous nitrate levels, warns Gord Stewart, a sustainability consultant in a recent "FARMERS WEEKLY" article. Rural residents on bore water are at high risk; a 2018 Danish study found an increase in colorectal cancer risk, with nitrates potentially contributing to 100 additional cases per year. New Zealand's current nitrate limit in drinking water (11.3 mg/L) is considered toxic for human babies.