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Hazards

Living upon this planet has always presented humans with a series of hazards, which appear to increase exponentially with the advance of technology.

Government, Regional and Local Authorities all attempt to address these issues and Civic Trust Auckland members and visitors to this site need to be aware that planning for the future must include all possible attempts to mitigate hazard risk.

In order to exist, humans need the following basic requirements, set out in order of importance:

• Air
• Water
• Food
• Clothing
• Shelter

It follows that all things likely to limit the supply or quality of any of these items, must be treated as potential hazards.

Air  Water  Food  Clothing  Shelter  Utilities  Predatory Humans

AIR

Civic Trust Auckland is concerned that air quality should be maximised and pollution reduced, or eliminated. Overwhelmingly, air pollution has a transport or industrial source, but there are residential problems ranging from cooking odours to fireplace smoke discharge.

Smoke	Barbeque Fumes	Smoking Chimney

All these would be far outweighed in the event of a volcanic explosion, either within one of the Auckland fields, or in the central North Island.

Radioactivity is another of this class of hazards.

WATER

Civic Trust Auckland is concerned over a number of aspects of water quality:

• Drinking water availability, quality and cost
• Storm water discharge and associated environmental safety
• Wastewater discharge and treatment
• The maintenance of lake, sea shore, stream and other water environments as natural and visual amenities

Waitakere Dam	Remuera Storm water Outflow

FOOD

Civic Trust Auckland is indirectly concerned over the many aspects of food production, preparation and consumption. We are keen to see the best farm land retained in production, with processes that minimise ground and surface water pollution, minimise unnatural food additives and add to the enjoyment of the food consumption component of life. We commend those who attempt to retain heritage food products and processes.


CLOTHING

Civic Trust Auckland is indirectly concerned with clothing, in so far as it forms part of the streetscape and should therefore be attractive, tasteful (or, at least tastefully un-tasteful) and practical. We encourage the study of past fashions and the use, where appropriate of heritage costumes during various events.


SHELTER

Civic Trust Auckland is concerned with a large number of aspects of shelter, in terms of the home, workplace and elsewhere.

The objective of the Building Code is to limit risk of injury from inappropriate design or construction, within or adjacent to any building.
Elements covered by the code are those which address the following risks:


For some of these hazards, the building code can pay only lip service. It requires political will for matters such as potential flood, tsunami and land slip to be properly taken into account in the planning of urban areas, subdivisions and building development. If full account was taken of this type of risk, human occupation of vast areas of New Zealand would be constrained or prohibited.

The Earthquake and War Damage Commission (EQC) is concerned with some forms of disaster relief and insurance.

Many existing buildings come into the category of being "earthquake prone". Heritage buildings in this list will require costly upgrading. Many of these and other worthy buildings may be at risk of demolition, as retention may not be justified due to upgrade costs.

Biosecurity New Zealand is concerned with invasive species of all types. Aucklanders are well aware of the painted apple moth, gorse, rabbit, opossum, sea squirt and other pests. We are less well acquainted with the fact that well loved New Zealand plants and animals come into the "invasive species" category in some other countries (e.g. pohutukawa and the native flatworm).

Development can bring environmental risk.

Quarrying destroys land features and mining can be polluting, or lead to land instability. Sand mining from rivers and the ocean floor needs to be carefully controlled.

The construction of marinas is often opposed on environmental grounds. Disposal of ship waste from harbours and marinas is yet to be fully addressed.

Site contamination on land in Auckland has been the result of landfill tipping, industrial pollution and other human activities, which are no longer tolerated. It is a matter of amazement that so many tip sites around Auckland were located on the foreshore. Asbestos waste has been dumped on farms and (apparently) on roads throughout the country.

Flooding	Quarrying	Corrosion

UTILITIES

There is risk to utilities and risk also from the existence of utilities and their service reticulation. Auckland is not at risk at present from nuclear power station damage, but a broken dam on the Waikato, or water reservoir would be serious.

Gas mains are dangerous, due to land movement or corrosion, particularly the high pressure mains, some of which run through the urban area (e.g. beneath part of Hillsborough Road).

Broken water, storm water and waste water pipes can (and have) led to flood or landslip.

High tension electricity lines are ugly and to be avoided in urban areas, particularly sensitive coastal and other high amenity localities. The possible danger from living near power lines has not been satisfactorily quantified, but is a widespread community fear.

Waste Water Pipeline	Gas Pipeline Warning	Electricity Lines

PREDATORY HUMANS

It is important to allow for personal safety in the design of buildings and public spaces.

Civic Trust Auckland is concerned that not enough has been done in the past and insufficient is being done at present, in the design of precincts, parks, roads and other open spaces.


In all of the matters set out above, the importance of planning and the application of basic principles are of paramount importance. Good planning and the removal of ugliness both get to the heart of what Civic Trust Auckland is all about.