Thoughts on water pollution
Water pollution has prompted a submission to the Healthy Rivers-Wai Ora Plan Change by a group dedicated to keeping Lake Taupo healthy.
Lakes and Waterways Action Group (LWAG) will use their February monthly meeting to discuss the submission to the Health Wai Ora Plan Change proposed by the Regional Council.
‘‘Water pollution is consistently the most important environmental issue identified by the Waikato community,’’ LWAG, Chairman Paul White, said.
‘‘Long term restoration projects have the challenge of producing results that reassure those directly affected.
‘‘Lakes and Waterways aims to get consensus amongst the community in regards to water quality and land use issues.’’
Another growing concern is that overseas markets are expecting our ‘clean green’ environmental reputation to have integrity.
LWAG said the rivers are a taonga to iwi and this project plays a part in fulfilling iwi aspirations including using a co-management approach.
Balancing the demands of industry and municipal uses with environmental aspirations led to a collaborative approach in developing the policy.
Technical experts from a range of disciplines were also sought for input.
The restoration of these rivers is proposed to be fully achieved in 80 years with policy released now to manage and reduce nitrogen, sediment and microbial pathogen losses from land by 10% over the next ten years.
Healthy Rivers~Wai Ora Plan Change was also bought up for discussion at last month’s LWAG meeting with a number of guest speakers present.
One, Don Scarlett, presented a report as Recreation and Tourism representative on Community Stakeholder Group. His report touched on how tourism and recreation interests are important as 300,000 people interact in recreational ways with the Waikato River.
LWAG are meeting February 23rd to discuss a submission to the Healthy Rivers~Wai Ora Plan Change (PC1) proposed by the Regional Council.