Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) has welcomed the release of the Government’s discussion paper as a useful addition to the important debate on freshwater management.

LGNZ President Lawrence Yule said “We are pleased to see the paper promoting further discussion and input on key issues around water quality and usage such as defining freshwater management units, infrastructure exemptions, stock exclusion from waterways and water conservation orders”.

“The quality of our freshwater is a vital issue for all our communities.  Regional and unitary councils are already investing heavily in working with their communities to manage water quality,” said Mr Yule.

LGNZ sees this as an opportunity to raise the profile of water quality by opening up the discussion with communities around the quality of our lakes and rivers, and the associated costs and ongoing requirements needed to achieve this. 

Mr Yule indicated LGNZ’s intention to lead the conversation around freshwater in our communities over the course of 2016 and beyond.

Mr Yule also emphasised the importance of collaborative processes and community consultation to achieve successful freshwater management.

“To ensure the best results for communities, decisions about water management must be made at a local level.  Many councils are already using collaborative processes including working with iwi to develop their water plans,” said Mr Yule. 

“Local government intends to widen the freshwater debate about quality and allocation of resources in our communities for their input and consultation,” said Mr Yule.

The Government’s Next steps for freshwater document can be accessed here.