A $400 million package to ensure New Zealand’s fresh water is properly managed has been announced.
More than 50 groups had input into the Land and Water Forum which was asked to look at how water should be managed in New Zealand.
The forum made recommendations to the government about standards and limits for water quality and quantity, water allocation, new infrastructure and urban water service issues.
Almost $265 million of funding has been identified for cleaning up waterways and $35 million set aside over five years to support irrigation infrastructure.
Land and Water chairman Alistair Bisley said it was a “very ambitious” programme.
“But I think you need to be ambitious,” he said.
“The time for not doing anything about water in New Zealand has passed. We need to get on with that quickly because the pressures on water in New Zealand are increasing.”
The programme sets timelines for the implementation on setting limits on irrigation, water quality, and quantity, including governance arrangements.
“The objective is for the government to effectively partner with rural communities on getting economically viable and environmentally sustainable water infrastructure projects up and running,” Agriculture Minister David Carter said.
The move was welcomed by Fonterra Cooperative Group, which said it encouraged any move to leverage the natural competitive advantages associated with New Zealand’s water-rich status.
“Any investment in infrastructure to store water is a good step towards this goal,” said Kelvin Wickham, director of supplier and external relations for Fonterra.
“Projects like these have long lead times so this fund will hopefully support them through the developmental stages.”
In the statement the ministers recognised the complex nature of water affairs, with the aim of the programme was to make steady, incremental progress through wide scale community engagement and consensus building.
Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples said the government has had a constructive engagement with iwi on the water work programme, and iwi leaders have welcomed the Land and Water Forum Report.
“The government has agreed there will be ongoing engagement between Ministers and the Iwi Leaders’ Group on the rights and interests of iwi in fresh water,” he said.
The various options under the plan are expected to go before Cabinet in February next year and work on more efficient allocation mechanisms by late 2012.
However, Fish and Game director Bryce Johnson told ONE News there was too much emphasis on irrigation.
“It leads to a massive increase in land intensification, invariably dairying, and that has a massive impact on the environment,” he said.
