Orari-Opihi-Pareora Zone Committee reaches major milestone
The Canterbury Water Orari-Opihi-Pareora Zone Committee will release its draft Zone Implementation Programme (ZIP) for public feedback on 30 January.
The 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). Once finalised the ZIP will form the basis for the design and realignment of council work and planning programmes for freshwater.
Environment Canterbury Commissioner and zone committee member Tom Lambie said the completion of the draft ZIP is the culmination of months of hard work by the committee.
“The Orari-Opihi-Pareora draft ZIP has been developed following numerous committee meetings and many conversations with stakeholders and community members to gather information about the region’s water resource.
“The CWMS challenges us to develop a set of recommendations that will provide present and future generations with the greatest social and economic benefits from the region’s water.
“After years of hard work developing the CWMS it is exciting for everyone involved to be able to begin implementing its vision in this zone and we look forward to hearing the views of the community before we finalise our ZIP,” he said.
In mid-October the Orari-Opihi-Pareora Zone Committee held a first round of public meetings to get community feedback on priorities for water management in the zone. The feedback from these meetings helped guide the draft ZIP.
The Orari-Opihi-Pareora draft ZIP contains around 40 recommendations to the Timaru and Mackenzie district councils, Environment Canterbury, and other stakeholders.
It includes recommendations to reflect the committee’s overall priorities to:
- Support and facilitate catchment level initiatives, to protect and enhance water quality and biodiversity, on which so much else is dependent
- Optimise the use of the water resource we currently have, and secure additional reliable and economically viable water supplies to meet the needs of a water short-zone.
Orari-Opihi-Pareora Zone Committee Chair Dermott O’Sullivan said how water is allocated and used is crucial to the future of the region so people should feel compelled to have their say.
“The underlying philosophy of the CWMS is that local communities should be making decisions on local water management. The Orari-Opihi-Pareora draft ZIP is the mechanism for delivering these goals so we are sure people will want to provide their feedback on our recommendations.
“The committee has operated in a collaborative manner to capture a diverse range of opinions in our draft ZIP. It is intended to reflect a commitment by all committee members to achieve an agreed outcome that will deliver all the CWMS targets in the zone,” he said.
Community members will have until 9 March to provide their feedback on the Orari-Opihi-Pareora draft ZIP. This can be done by visiting www.ecan.govt/canterburywater or by attending one of the public meetings being held in February. A limited number of draft ZIPs will also be available at the Environment Canterbury (Ellesmere Centre, 24 Edward Street, Lincoln) or the Timaru and Mackenzie district council offices.
Community meeting details
Thursday, 9 February 7-9pm Timaru District Council, Barnard Street, Timaru
Friday, 10 February 4-6pm Southburn Hall, corner Caird and Pareora River Roads
Tuesday 14 February 1-3pm Mackenzie Community Centre, Main St, Fairlie
Tuesday 14 February 7-9pm St Andrews Church Hall, 10 Cox St, Geraldine