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Fresh water
Sustainable Water Programme of Action (2003-2008)
In response to some of the challenges facing fresh water in New Zealand, the Sustainable Water Programme of Action was established in 2003 and ran until the end of 2008. Some of the initiatives under this programme continue under the Government’s strategy New Start for Fresh Water which was announced in June 2009.
Under the Sustainable Water Programme of Action, officials consulted with local government, landowners, businesses, industry groups, sector groups, iwi, community organisations and individuals on issues facing freshwater management.
In response to some of the challenges facing fresh water in New Zealand, the Sustainable Water Programme of Action was established in 2003 with a set of outcomes.
Through 2004 and 2005, officials consulted with local government, landowners, businesses, industry groups, sector groups, iwi, community organisations and individuals on issues facing freshwater management. The aim was to identify possible solutions and opportunities for the future.
Some common themes emerged about ways to improve freshwater management:
- Greater strategic planning for water, nationally and regionally.
- Clearer direction and guidance from central government.
- Greater consistency in the way increasing demands on water resources are managed across the country.
- A better framework for deciding between conflicting demands for water.
- More effective Māori participation in water management.
- Better management of the impacts of diffuse discharges on water quality.
Three instruments in freshwater management
In 2006, Cabinet approved a package of actions which included three instruments for freshwater management:
- A National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management
- A National Environmental Standard for Measurement of Water Takes
- A National Environmental Standard on Ecological Flows and Water Levels
An agreed joint Maori work programme was also set up, to enhance Maori participation in freshwater management.
For further information related to the Sustainable Water Programme of Action, please see the links below:
- Ministers speech "Protecting water everyone’s responsibility" [26 February 2008]
- Media release - Charting dynamic new course to manage our water [10 April 2006]
- Freshwater for the Future information sheet [April 2006]
- Freshwater for the Future: A supporting document [April 2006]
- Cabinet paper: Sustainable Water Programme of Action – Implementation Package
- Cabinet paper POL (06) 321: Sustainable Water Programme of Action: Progress Report
- Wai Ora: Report of the Sustainable Water Programme of Action Consultation Hui
If you have any questions about water management, you can email: waterprogramme@mfe.govt.nz.
Further information
- See the fresh water page for related projects, policies, regulations, reports, partnerships, guidelines and tools about fresh water.
- See the Resource Management Act page which is a gateway to information about the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA).
- For a full list of publications relating to water refer to the water publications page.
Last updated: 16 July 2009
