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1 Purpose

This paper explores the current issues associated with managing the impacts of rural land use and associated diffuse (non-point) source discharges of contaminants on freshwater quality. It proposes possible ways to improve water quality management issues for the purposes of consultation. This paper examines the framework for managing rural land use impacts on water quality. It does not propose water quality standards, which are more appropriately set through other processes (eg, national policy statements, national environmental standards, regional policy statements and plans).

While deteriorating water quality is an accumulation of rural and urban pollution, this paper is solely on rural land use impacts for the following reasons:

  • Urban discharges (which generally are, or become, point source discharges) are largely being managed, whereas diffuse discharges to water from rural land uses such as farming are not being addressed well.
  • Urban areas affect only 3% of New Zealand's length of rivers.
  • Around 60% of New Zealand's land area is under primary production, therefore rural land uses have the ability to impact on a large number of waterways.
  • There has been a need to limit the current scope of work due to resource limits of departments and the timeframes set by Ministers for the Water Programme of Action (WPoA).

The focus on rural land use issues does not preclude addressing urban land issues, including urban stormwater, in the future, either through the WPoA or through other policy development processes.

1.1 Background

In January 2003, the Sustainable Development Programme of Action (SDPoA) was released by the Government to set directions and outline initial actions towards sustainable development. Included within the programme are four work streams: energy, sustainable cities, child and youth development, and freshwater quality and allocation. The WPoA addresses the freshwater work stream, with three concurrent working groups examining water quality, water allocation and identifying potential water bodies of national importance. The water quality work discussed here will be integrated with the other two work areas in the proposed public discussion document on freshwater issues.

The goal of the SDPoA for freshwater is "adequate, clean freshwater available for all" with the desired water quality outcome being that "freshwater quality is maintained to meet all appropriate needs".

The application of the principles of the SDPoA to water quality issues indicates that solutions to problems of managing land use effects on water quality should, as far as possible, be mutually reinforcing and recognise environmental, economic, cultural and social values, and the needs of current and future generations. Taking a sustainable development approach requires looking for complementary and innovative solutions.

Local authorities manage water quality under two key pieces of legislation: the Resource Management Act (RMA) 1991 which has a sustainable management focus and the Local Government Act (LGA) 2002 which has a sustainable development focus.

The current scope of the water quality project, while striving to meet sustainable development objectives, has operated under sustainable management principles as per Part II of the RMA.

Sustainable development embodies the concept of "getting more, from less, for longer" [Towards Sustainable Development: The Role of the Resource Management Act 1991, Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, August 1998.] and has been defined as:

"development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" and involves:

  • "Looking after people.
  • Taking a long-term view.
  • Taking into account effects on social, cultural, economic and environmental dimensions.
  • Participation and partnerships" [The Government's Approach to Sustainable Development, August 2002, p6.]

Sustainable management means:

"managing the use, development, and protection of natural and physical resources in a way, or at a rate, which enables people and communities to provide for their social, economic, and cultural well-being and for their health and safety while:

  1. safeguarding the potential of foreseeable needs of future generations; and
  2. safeguarding the life-supporting capacity of air, water, soil and ecosystems; and
  3. avoiding, remedying, or mitigating any adverse effects of activities on the environment." [Resource Management Act 1991, Section 5 Purpose.]

There is considerable overlap between the concepts as both embody the ideas of sustainability; consider intergenerational issues; involve participation of people and communities; and consider social, economic, environmental and cultural values. The key difference is that sustainable management requires safeguarding the life-supporting capacity of air, water, soil and ecosystems and avoiding, remedying or mitigating any adverse effects of activities on the environment, while providing for social, economic and cultural well-being and health and safety. Under sustainable management the consideration of adverse effects cannot be traded off against the social, economic and cultural values in the same way as they may be under sustainable development. The concepts of sustainable development and sustainable management are evolving. Any tensions that may remain are, however, beyond the scope of managing water quality.

Māori have strong views on the importance of freshwater quality for cultural and other reasons, as discussed at more length in sections 4.1.3 and 4.2.3 below.

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