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Whangarei public meeting

2 February 2005

Questions/issues raised

  • Should be working on a co-operative basis.
  • Work needs to be done on residual flows.
  • Water should remain in crown ownership.
  • When allocated water is rented, if the use changes it should go through a new process.
  • Water shouldn't be a tradable commodity.
  • Water quality is an issue - eg, for the export of fruit.
  • Money should be made available for riparian planting and fencing from central government.
  • Who monitors the regional council?
  • Fertiliser is having a massive impact on water quality. Leads to increase in weeds.
  • Idea of whole of government approach is a good one.
  • Pilot programmes are a concern because one size does not fit all, conditions are different in Northland.
  • Need to ensure water quality and an adequate supply of good water.
  • Concerned about central government control on local government issues - local government know their own needs best and can deal with it better in their own way. Central government should only play a guidance role.
  • Don't want national controls that impact on primary productivity adversely.
  • Development of market and water rights should only be done once in stream values are identified and protected - low flows are an issue.
  • There is a lack of scientifically agreed information that determines water quality.
  • Needs to be cooperation and collective agreement to what appropriate approaches are.
  • Need to understand the cultural perspective of water - communication and education is needed around this.
  • Need to keep discharges out of water.
  • The process should be results based.
  • Underground aquifers should be protected from overdrawing.
  • How would the Ministry of Transport change their policies to fit in with this programme?
  • It is the role of regional councils to establish low flows - until they are established everyone will be fighting for the water. Scientific, statistical information is needed to support what low flows should be.
  • The more water you take the lower the water quality will be.
  • Local government is under resourced, staff are struggling to monitor. Councils need to look at where plans are directed.
  • Need national guidelines on flushing, central government should provide the scientific expertise for this.
  • Need incentives for riparian planting.
  • Need a land use education programme.
  • Water quality has dropped despite fencing, probably a result of fertiliser use.
  • There has been an increase in stocking rates - this needs to be managed, the farming community has started to address the issues associated with this.
  • Land use is starting to change ie, to olives, avocados.
  • Would national standards be useful?
  • People who contribute to impacts on water quality need to be identified.
  • Councils here are already working collaboratively with communities over water issues.
  • Ownership of water is an issue - first in first served is a problem.
  • Contaminated water has an impact on human health - good to have direction from Ministry for the Environment eg, stream health template.
  • Awareness raising a good idea (ie, on television).
  • Everything you do has a downstream effect.
  • Tie together with drinking water standards.
  • Water storage insufficient in some Northland towns.
  • Auctions/Tendering not the right direction.
  • Transfer of consents a problem.
  • Cost of sustainable development has to be fairly carried/allocated between central and local government.
  • Incentives for people to collect their own roof water.

Solutions

  • Be innovative in the collection of water.
  • Soil and Water plan in place for Northland - all regional councils should be required to do this.
  • Metering and paying for water increases the incentives for efficiency - need to think about how to deal with people who don't pay.
  • Awareness raising a very good idea - get people to think about the value of water.
  • Councils need to think about water supply and waste water disposal when considering consent applications for subdivision. Septic tanks affect water quality - don't work well in Northland.
  • Central government needs to educate, capture hearts and minds first, then tweak policy and then regulate the violators.
  • Need to know how much water is available, transparency is important. This information is not available in all regions.
  • Need to look at the relationship between fresh and marine water.
  • Environmental bottom lines are a must - national standards that account for regional variation are needed.

Last updated: 25 November 2008