http://www.mfe.govt.nz/ Water news from the New Zealand Ministry for the Environment en-NZ 2009-11-25T18:14:32+13:00 info@mfe.govt.nz Water news from the New Zealand Ministry for the Environment http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/ser/groundwater-quality-info-sheet/index.html As part of its National Environmental Reporting Programme, the Ministry for the Environment regularly reports on water quality in groundwater aquifers. This information sheet presents the key findings from data collected from over 900 groundwater sites throughout New Zealand between 1995 and 2008. 2009-11-18T14:24:05+13:00 2009-11-18 20091118-1453-MINENV Ministry for the Environment News http://www.mfe.govt.nz/environmental-reporting/freshwater/river/league-table/river-water-quality-league-tables.html Sites in the National River Water Quality Network are ranked based on nutrients, water clarity, bacterial levels, macroinvertebrates and algae cover. 2009-10-21T09:08:51+13:00 2009-10-21 20091021-1429-MINENV Ministry for the Environment News http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/ser/groundwater-quality-trends-2008/ This report provides an update of results for indicators of groundwater quality in New Zealand. It summarises average water quality at almost 1000 monitoring sites over the period 1995-2008, as well as trends at the same sites within that period of time. 2009-10-21T09:05:01+13:00 2009-10-21 20091021-1428-MINENV Ministry for the Environment News http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/water/on-tap-household-water-use/ The Ministry has released "On Tap?: Attitudes, behaviours, and perceptions of household water use – informing demand management". This report summarises existing and new consumer research on household water use to inform water demand management strategies. 2009-08-06T16:01:44+12:00 2009-08-06 20090806-1399-MINENV Ministry for the Environment News http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government+improves+water+quality+monitoring/ “An important part of the Government’s strategy to address fresh water quality is improving the standard and frequency of monitoring”, Environment Minister Nick Smith said today in addressing Fish and Game New Zealand’s annual staff conference. 2009-07-01T13:37:55+12:00 2009-07-01 20090701-1375-MINENV Environment Minister News http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/land/water-quality-selected-dairying-farming-catchments/index.html A new report released today establishes the water quality in catchments around New Zealand mainly used for dairy farming. It sets a baseline against which future changes related to dairy management practices can be measured. Results of the report indicate that water quality is generally degraded in the catchments. 2009-07-01T13:27:59+12:00 2009-07-01 20090701-1374-MINENV Ministry for the Environment News /environmental-reporting/freshwater/recreational/results.html A web update is now available outlining bacterial water quality data for about 300 rivers and lakes over the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 summers. The data is reported against a health-based guideline used to determine whether a site is safe for recreational water use. 2009-07-01T13:27:01+12:00 2009-07-01 20090701-1373-MINENV Ministry for the Environment News http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/water/water-quality-trends-1989-2007/index.html As part of its National Environmental Reporting Programme, the Ministry regularly commissions new national-scale environmental data and analysis. A new technical report: Water quality trends at National River Water Quality Monitoring Network sites, is now available online. 2009-06-09T10:43:27+12:00 2009-06-09 20090609-1353-MINENV Ministry for the Environment News http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/water/temporal-land-cover-freshwater-fish/index.html As part of its National Environmental Reporting Programme, the Ministry regularly commissions new national-scale environmental data and analysis. A new technical report is now available for fish communities in rivers: Temporal and land-use trends in freshwater fish communities in New Zealand. 2009-06-09T08:56:47+12:00 2009-06-09 20090609-1357-MINENV Ministry for the Environment News http://www.mfe.govt.nz/issues/water/freshwater/new-start-fresh-water.html On 8 June 2009, the Government announced its new strategy New Start for Fresh Water. It outlines the Government’s new direction for water management in New Zealand and sets out some of the choices we face and the implications of those choices. A subsequent paper will outline a programme of work to run until 2011 and beyond. 2009-06-08T08:08:13+12:00 2009-06-08 20090608-1355-MINENV Ministry for the Environment News http://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/agenda+fresh+water+reform I have attended numerous EDS conferences in various roles but this is my first as Minister. I want to use this opportunity to set out the new Government’s ambitious environmental agenda and to make some specific announcements about a New Start for Fresh Water. 2009-06-08T08:07:41+12:00 2009-06-08 20090608-1362-MINENV Environment Minister News http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/fresh+water+reform+process+announced new process to improve New Zealand's fresh water management was today announced by Environment Minister Nick Smith and Agriculture Minister David Carter. 2009-06-08T08:06:24+12:00 2009-06-08 20090608-1354-MINENV Environment Minister News http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/rma/nes-draft-sources-human-drinking-water/index.html The "Draft Users’ Guide: National Environmental Standard for Sources of Human Drinking Water" is now available. 2009-06-02T15:14:12+12:00 2009-06-02 20090602-1348-MINENV Ministry for the Environment News