New Zealanders want to swim, fish, gather mahinga kai and enjoy freshwater as our parents and grandparents did. We also need clean water to drink and irrigation to support a sustainable economy. Our water is suffering as a result of urban development, agriculture, horticulture, forestry and other human activities.
The Government proposed new requirements to:
- strengthen Te Mana o Te Wai as the framework for freshwater management
- better provide for ecosystem health (water, fish and plant life)
- better protect wetlands and estuaries
- better manage stormwater and wastewater, and protect sources of drinking water
- control high-risk farming activities and limit agricultural intensification
- improve farm management practices.
The consultation closed on 31 October 2019. Manawatū River Source to Sea, a subnetwork of ENM, and Wildlife Foxton Trust, a member group, made written submissions, which can be viewed at the links on the right.
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