A NIWA water scientist isn’t letting farmers off the hook following the release of a report into water pollution in New Zealand lakes.

Federated Farmers claimed a minor victory from the results – saying the numbers showed just 27 per cent of the pollution was due to farming.

The report concluded one third of our lakes are heavily polluted and NIWA chief freshwater scientist Clive Howard-Williams says farming is definitely the worst offender.

Dr Howard-Williams says around half of all lowland lakes are polluted, and most are found in heavily farmed areas.

Environment Minister Nick Smith has called for action to improve water quality in the wake of the report. His Labour counterpart, Charles Chauvel, says it’s time for the Government to act on its words.

“I think New Zealanders are fed up with having polluted streams, lakes and rivers."

"It’s not the New Zealand that we grew up in, it’s not what we’re used to."

"It’s time for the Government to do something about it, and if they’re not prepared to, when we’re in, we will.”

The NIWA report monitored 112 lakes around the country between 2005 and 2009, and found 44 per cent of them to be unhealthy.