30 November 2012

Orari-Opihi-Pareora Zone Committee meeting

The Orari-Opihi-Pareora (OOP) Zone Committee will hold its regular monthly meeting in Timaru on Monday, 3 December.

The committee will begin the meeting by offering members of the public in attendance an opportunity to contribute, before going on to focus on water quality data in the zone.

Next, the committee will look at water quality data across the zone. This will inform decisions about priorities for future catchment groups and other initiatives to address water quality.

They will also be updated on the progress already being made to develop catchment groups in the zone. Following a public meeting in the Orari catchment in early November, it was decided the Orari will be divided in to upper, mid, and lower catchment groups, as well as an overall group to ensure cohesion. The long-term goal is for the Orari, Ophihi, and Pareora catchments to all have groups formed by the end of next year.

The committee will then be updated on the discussions that have been held with with Silver Fern Farms, about the implications for them of the Pareora River Plan being, which was made operative in July 2012.

Following this, the committee will look at a key focus in its Zone Implementation Programme (ZIP) for water management - ensuring the zone has a secure supply of water. Suggested supply concepts generally rely on bringing in water from other zones. The committee will be updated on the progress of concepts which aim to bring water in from the west, north and south of the zone.

At Monday’s meeting the committee will also look at biodiversity, rural toilets in recreational areas and confirm its meeting dates for next-year.

The OOP Zone Committee operates as a joint committee of Environment Canterbury and the Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils. The zone extends south from the Rangitata River through to the Pareora catchment. It includes all of the Timaru district and parts of the Mackenzie and Waimate districts.

Meeting Details

Orari-Opihi-Pareora Zone Committee meeting

1pm, Monday, 3 December

Meeting Room 1, Timaru District Council offices, 2 King George Place, Timaru
ends

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