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December 2020This guide provides information on how to submit expressions of interest to the Freshwater Improvement Fund. Read more -
October 2020Read the summary of recommendations and the Minister for the Environment’s decisions on amendments to the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 report here. Read more -
September 2020This document provides detailed technical guidance about the new freshwater planning process (FPP) introduced by the Resource Management Amendment Act 2020. Read more -
August 2020The Wetland Delineation Protocols give a robust method for delineating wetlands based on the United States delineation system. Read more -
August 2020The National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 requires councils to manage periphyton in rivers as a compulsory attribute to achieve the value ecosystem health. Read more -
August 2020This factsheet provides information on the consenting-related changes made through the Resource Management Amendment Act 2020. Read more -
August 2020The National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 sets out the objectives and policies for freshwater management under the Resource Management Act 1991. Read more -
June 2020This document provides guidance on apply to the Environmental Legal Assistance (ELA) Fund. Read more -
December 2019This guide provides information for people who import, manufacture, or sell products covered by New Zealand’s Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS). Read more -
April 2019This guide outlines the process of gathering information to make decisions about investigating, managing and remediating sites in New Zealand contaminated with PFAS. Read more -
December 2018This guide provides practical considerations, principles and methods to help regional council staff identify, assess, communicate and manage uncertainty in freshwater management. It may also be useful for iwi and hapū or community participants in regional freshwater planning processes to better understand these issues. Read more -
October 2018This document captures areas of shared interest in water quality and ecosystem health improvements and defines how the Crown and Māori will work together to make improvements to New Zealand’s freshwater. Read more -
October 2018View the high-level detail on each of the work streams in the Essential Freshwater work programme and the indicative timeframes. Read more -
October 2018This document describes a framework for assessing the biophysical ecosystem health of fresh water in Aotearoa New Zealand. Read more -
October 2018This document sets out the Government’s plan to restore and protect freshwater in New Zealand. Read more -
August 2018These guidelines provide water managers with tools and guidance to assess, manage and monitor the water quality. They complement the existing National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (Freshwater NPS) which is the main direction to local government about how to manage fresh water in New Zealand. Read more -
August 2018This technical guidance will help councils with the process set out in the Periphyton Attribute Note in the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2014 (as amended 2017). Read more -
March 2018This guide provides information about the attributes in Appendix 2 of the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2014 (as amended 2017). Read more -
March 2018This guide provides information about the Waste Minimisation Fund (WMF) and guidance for completing an application for funding for a waste minimisation project. Read more -
March 2018This guide provides information about setting limits under the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2014 (as amended 2017). Read more -
December 2017This guide provides information about the policy intent and requirements of the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2014. Read more -
December 2017This guide provides information about the monitoring requirements in Part CB of the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2014 (as amended 2017). Read more -
December 2017This guide explains how the national swimming targets will be achieved, what contribution regional targets will make, and the monitoring requirements for E. coli. Read more -
July 2017This document provides an overview of the full funding process, and guidance to help you complete your application to the Community Environment Fund. Read more -
February 2017This guide provides information on how to apply to the Freshwater Improvement Fund. Read more -
September 2016This draft revised guideline has been released to assist understanding of the proposed amendments to the National Environmental Standard for Assessing and Managing Contaminants in Soil to Protect Human Health. The final revised guideline will be gazetted in early 2017. Read more -
September 2016This draft revised guideline has been released to assist understanding of the proposed amendments to the National Environmental Standard for Assessing and Managing Contaminants in Soil to Protect Human Health. The final revised guideline will be gazetted in early 2017. Read more -
June 2016This document provides guidance to council staff on identifying freshwater management units as required under the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management. Read more -
February 2016This document provides information about the Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund (CSRF) and guidance for completing an application for funding for a contaminated site investigation and/or remediation project. Read more -
November 2015This guide outlines the obligations of territorial authorities under the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2014 and describes some impacts the NPS-FM may have on councils. Read more -
September 2015This guidance, collaboratively written by regional council and Ministry for the Environment staff, steps the reader through the establishment, running and winding up of an effective collaboration group. Read more -
September 2015This guide will help regional and unitary councils implement the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management requirement to establish freshwater accounting systems for water quantity and quality. Read more -
January 2015This report describes tools that may be useful for regional councils and communities to identify and compare values as they go through planning processes and implement the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management. Read more -
October 2013This document provides guidance on how to manage waste streams or end-of-life products that may contain brominated flame retardants. It includes a decision tree to help exporters decide whether they must apply to the Environmental Protection Authority for an export permit. Read more -
June 2013Recreational water quality assessment software user’s guide. Read more -
August 2012This report identifies and recommends national freshwater monitoring protocols for core river water quality, river bio-monitoring and lake monitoring variables. Regional council protocols and quality assurance methods are described. Read more -
April 2012This users’ guide explains the regulations and provides guidance to territorial and unitary authorities on implementing the National Environmental Standard for Assessing and Managing Contaminants in Soil to Protect Human Health. Read more -
December 2011This plan sets the goals and objectives for the long-term environmental recovery following the grounding of the Rena. Read more -
October 2011This checklist is taken from Contaminated Land Management Guidelines No. 1 – Reporting on Contaminated Sites in New Zealand (Revised 2011) and relates to the removal and replacement of petroleum underground storage tanks and underground equipment. Read more -
October 2011This checklist should be included as a cover sheet for all contaminated site investigations. The checklist is taken from the Contaminated Land Management Guidelines No.1 – Reporting on Contaminated Sites in New Zealand (Revised 2011). Read more -
April 2011This guideline has been developed through a partnership between the Ministry for the Environment, regional councils and unitary authorities to ensure consistency in the reporting on contaminated sites. Read more -
October 2010Information on the Resource Management (Measurement and Reporting of Water Takes) Regulations 2010 including information on the benefits of measuring your water take, who the regulations apply to, measuring and reporting requirements, and how the regulations work. Read more -
May 2010Preparing for Future Flooding is a summary of the Ministry’s technical report 'Tools for estimating the effects of climate change on flood flow'. It provides good practice information and guidance to help local authorities incorporate climate change impacts into flood risk management. Read more -
December 2009These guidelines provide advice on how public health risk associated with cyanobacteria in recreational waters can be managed. Read more -
December 2009The Water Research Strategy sets out the issues for water management and guides investment in water research. It is intended to guide the science sector to deliver the information and tools required to enable world class management of water resources in New Zealand. Read more -
June 2008This guide providez regional councils and consent applicants with sufficient knowledge about treatment processes and sources of contaminants to enable them to implement and comply with the National Environmental Standard for Sources of Human Drinking Water. Read more -
May 2007This material is incorporated by reference in the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020. Read more -
December 2006This document provides a step-by-step protocol for the collection of groundwater samples in New Zealand. Read more -
December 2006New Zealand's National Implementation Plan under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants sets out how New Zealand is meeting its obligations under this convention. Read more -
November 2006This guideline was developed to help local authorities address the potential risks from contaminated sheep-dip sites. It provides best practice advice on identifying potentially contaminated sheep-dip sites, and determining the acceptable level of contamination for various land uses. Read more