Better beaches: 8 ways to make a difference

Install a rain tank

Rainwater tanks store the water collected by your roof for you to use on your garden or in the house. They range in size from 200 to 30,000 litres and make a great emergency water supply – plus they take a load off the storm water pipes by holding back water that would normally wash straight out to sea. So the more households in a catchment with rainwater storage, the less likely it is for sudden downpours to spill over into sewerage pipes, flushing poos into the ocean.

Choose drought-resistant plants

Native plants like hebes, carex grasses, flaxes and manuka are great choices when landscaping as they can handle short-term flooding but do not require much watering. Plants and soil absorb and filter out chemicals and toxins. Lawns are less water efficient and can get boggy, so keep them nice and small.

Respect the gutter

Remember, anything you drop on the street or pour down the drain goes straight into the sea you’ll be swimming in this summer. So wash the car on the lawn, rather than the street or a hard driveway. And make sure you pick up Fido’s droppings off the pavement (even if no-one is looking)!

Grow a green roof

Schools, hotels, council buildings and universities around New Zealand are all wising up to the advantages of rooftop gardens: apart from cooling and beautifying a building, they hold water back in rain storms that would otherwise flush contaminants out to sea. Of course, all that additional weight above your head needs some serious engineering so if you’re interested, speak to the experts: www.livingroofs.org.nz

Don’t paint the drain

The chemicals and pigments in paint aren’t nice to swim in, so rather than pouring your leftover paint down the drain, drop it off at Resene or Dulux for recycling – or just let it go hard and put it in the bin.

With brush wash-water, you can leave it overnight to separate, before carefully pouring the liquid off the top on to some scruffy grass. Solids can then be scraped out and left to set.

Choose porous surfaces

Minimise the hard surfaces around your home by choosing gravel, shells or pumice for drives, paths and courtyards.

Buy phosphate-free

Choosing a phosphate-free laundry powder helps avoid excess algae growth in rivers, estuaries and ultimately the ocean, especially if you live away from big towns or cities where water isn’t well treated before being discharged. Likewise choosing bio-degradable soaps, shampoos and detergents means your wastewater will cause fewer problems when it eventually reaches the sea.

Plant the farm

If you own a farm or lifestyle bock, plant-up your swampy areas and retire gullies to filter water before it leaves your land. Rather than costing you in lost pasture, you might be surprised at how it can save you money and help your land become more valuable – plus it means less phosphorus, nitrogen, sediment and bugs reach the coastline. Farm consultants such as Alison Dewes from Headlands can help with advice: 021 242 4949 or www.headlandsenviro.co.nz

See our story How clean is your beach? for more.