The Water connects us all
As a coastal and a farming community, Whangārei people are very aware of the importance of water, not only our physical wellbeing but also for our enjoyment, our cultural practices, and our environment. Recent droughts and this month’s evacuations due to the Tsunami emergency warning have been stark reminders that our livelihoods and our lives are intrinsically connected to Mother Nature.
We know we need to value water properly and safeguard it effectively for future generations. Our Government is committed to cleaning up our waterways so that future generations can enjoy clean and healthy rivers, lakes and wetlands. It’s a long-term challenge that will take time to fix, but we’ve made good progress over the past three years – including here in Northland.
So, this World Water Day, I wanted to take the opportunity to outline some of the work we’re doing to improve water quality here in Whangārei, as well as around Aotearoa.
We’re taking action on water quality is with new rules to protect and restore New Zealand’s freshwater, which came into force last year. These policies are the strongest ever protections for our rivers and lakes, and include clearer direction for councils on freshwater standards, higher health standards for swimming spots, stricter controls on nitrogen pollution and other practical measures that, ultimately, will help clean up our waterways. We are also undertaking a massive review of our often under-resourced water management systems with the Three Waters programme.
Already, the Northern Wairoa Freshwater Improvement Project has been one of the local projects supported through the Freshwater
Improvement Fund. It’s a five-year project that will reduce sediment and bacteria levels in the Wairoa River, and its tributaries on the northern border of the Whangārei electorate. The project works with eligible landowners to set up sustainable land management practices.
Alongside this, we’ll fund community projects that support Māori to improve the health of freshwater bodies that are important to them, while also creating local jobs through Te Mana o te Wai Fund. This will support our economic recovery, while also ensuring our precious waterways are returned to a healthy state.
Funding community-led projects is just one of the ways our Government is taking action to clean up our rivers and lakes. Of course, improving water quality is an issue that affects all of us, and we all have a role to play in cleaning up our waterways.
Lately, constituents in Waipū and Bream Bay are concerned with the yearly reoccurring algae bloom on their coast. They inform me with the rise in water temperature and low oxygen level readings in the Ruakaka estuary this year, marine life has been heavily impacted. As a community we need to keep an eye on why this is happening, and find out if our actions are magnifying this natural process.
Meanwhile, I am pleased that the Whangārei urban awa project is working to improve water quality in four of Whangārei’s key urban river catchments. The ‘Whangārei Urban Awa’ project is a collaboration between the Northland Regional Council (NRC) and the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) targeting water quality in the Waiarohia, Lower Hatea, Kirikiri and Raumanga catchments. The project aims to improve water quality through a combination of stock exclusion fencing, riparian planting and land management advice to eligible landowners.
Together we can ensure the freshwater of Whangārei supports the health of our people, our environment and our economy.