‘WATER: Rapuhia, kimihia - Quest for knowledge’ is a Magpie documentary and podcast series highlighting the work of three leading researchers from Aotearoa-New Zealand as they dedicate their lives to illuminating the science and research surrounding different aspects of one of our most precious resources.
‘WATER' was funded by New Zealand on Air with support from Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington, and published by Newsroom in May, 2020. You can watch the documentary episodes below, and listen to the accompanying podcasts:
In Episode 1: Fresh Water we follow Dr Mike Joy as he tests for nitrates in the tributaries that flow into Lake Wanaka, some of the most pristine fresh water in New Zealand – and then see the readings rise as he tests further downstream. By the time he gets to Ashburton, what will the readings show - and how close are they to levels associated with colo-rectal cancer? Along the way there’s personal insight into the character of a man who sometimes seems to relish his “Doctor Doom” label as we travel alongside him on his crusade to convert scientific knowledge into demonstrable action.
In Episode 2: Sea Level Rise we learn that Professor Tim Naish didn’t want to go to Antarctica to study as a postgraduate student – he thought it would be a tough place to do research. These days he knows the real challenge lies in understanding how what happens in Antarctica will impact sea level rise worldwide and then convincing the international community of the necessity of taking action. While his colleague Associate Professor Nick Golledge heads to Antarctica to gather up-to-the-minute data on ice sheet movement, we follow Tim to Whitehall, London, to present his findings to an international audience.
At the beginning of Episode 3: Rights & Responsibilities, law professor Catherine Iorns is on her way to Napier to speak with councillors about the legal liability they are likely to face around sea level rise when a storm rolls in bringing high tides. A visit to Haumoana, where a whole street of property titles now stretch under the high tide line, shows the challenges local government will face over years to come. Catherine uses her expertise to encourage legal protection of rivers and waterways – her current challenge is to support local iwi in their fight to overturn consent for seabed mining off the Taranaki coast.
