Time running out to have say on Waimakariri water issues

People interested in having their say on the Waimakariri Zone Committee’s draft Zone Implementation Programme (ZIP) have until 21 October to provide their feedback.

In early October the zone committee hosted a series of well-attended public meetings to facilitate discussion around the draft ZIP.

Committee Chair Murray Lang says the public meetings were invaluable to providing an insight into the variety of community views around water management.

“The zone committee was very pleased with the turn out at the community water meetings. In total there were around 100 people across the three meetings who took the opportunity to have their say.

“The underlying philosophy of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy is that local communities should be making decisions on local water management. The Waimakariri Draft ZIP is the mechanism for delivering these goals so it’s important people have their say.

“The meetings helped inform us about what people liked and didn’t like and what they thought was missing and their feedback will all be taken into account when we begin reviewing and updating the draft ZIP before submitting it to councils,” he said.

The Waimakariri Zone Committee’s draft ZIP recommends actions, responsibilities and time-frames for activities to help achieve the principles, targets and goals set out in the Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS).

It has been developed following numerous committee meetings and extensive stakeholder and community engagement to gather information about the region’s water resource.

The draft ZIP includes recommendations on five key priority areas; lowland waterways; braided rivers; nutrient and water management; water supply; and biodiversity.

Murray Lang says how water is allocated and used is crucial to the future of the region so people should feel compelled to have their say.

“How our water is managed will affect our region for generations to come. It is vital the right water management approach is taken to ensure present and future generations the greatest social and economic benefits from the resource.

“We would encourage people who weren’t able to make it along to one of our meetings to go online and submit a feedback form or collect one from one of the council offices,” he said.

The Waimakariri Draft ZIP contains 48 recommendations to the Waimakariri District Council, Environment Canterbury and other stakeholders.

Community members have until 21 October to provide their feedback on the Waimakariri Draft ZIP.

This can be done by visiting the Waimakariri draft Zone Implementation Programme or by collecting a copy of the draft ZIP from Environment Canterbury (Ellesmere Centre, 24 Edward Street, Lincoln) or Waimakariri District Council Offices.