Monday, March 11, 2013
MEDIA STATEMENT
Major milestone reached for water management in Banks Peninsula

The Banks Peninsula zone committee finalised its water management Zone Implementation Programme at its monthly meeting on February 19.

Banks Peninsula Zone Committee Chair Richard Simpson said the completion of the Zone Implementation Programme is the culmination of months of hard work by members of the zone committee.

The Zone Implementation Programme recommends the actions, responsibilities and time-frames to achieve the water management goals and targets set out in the Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS).

Once endorsed by councils, zone implementation programmes form the basis for the design and realignment of council work and planning programmes for fresh water.

The Banks Peninsula Zone Committee will present its Zone Implementation Programme to the Environment Canterbury Council on Thursday March 14, and to the Christchurch City Council at a later date.

“How we manage water has an influence on our quality of life and prosperity both now and for future generations,” said Richard Simpson.

“The Banks Peninsula Zone Implementation Programme is a key document that will help ensure our local water resource is managed effectively.

“The underlying philosophy of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy is for local communities to make decisions on local water management and we were very happy with the level of interest shown by stakeholder groups and the community.

“The Zone Implementation Programme was developed following numerous committee meetings as well as extensive stakeholder and community engagement to gather information about the area’s water resource.

“Its recommendations are designed to enable present and future generations the greatest environmental, cultural, social and economic benefits from the area’s water,” said Richard Simpson.

The committee hosted four community meetings in October and November last year for local people, groups and organisations to provide feedback on the recommendations made in the draft Zone Implementation Programme. People were also able to provide feedback on-line and in writing.

Some of the key points raised at the community meetings included sediment control, drinking water quality, how to build a resilient water supply, and the impact of tourism on the local water resource.

The Banks Peninsula Zone Implementation Programme includes ten chapters, each focussing on a different priority area for water management. The ten chapters are:
Water quality - Te Roto o Wairewa
Water quantity - Wastewater
Biodiversity - Climate change and flooding
Kaitiakitanga - Education and communication
Erosion and sediment control - Coastal

Richard Simpson said the focus for the committee is now on determining the priority areas that need addressing first.

“Now that we have an agreed set of water management recommendations, the committee is looking forward to getting stuck in to some of the on-the-ground actions identified in the Zone Implementation Programme.

“The first step in this process is to identify which components need addressing now, and which ones can wait a little longer, or need further information before we can take action,” he said.

For example, the Zone Implementation Programme supports the work of local rūnanga to improve water quality in Te Roto o Wairewa. Improvements this season have seen increased water clarity at the top end of the lake, no cyanobacterial warning at the moment, and people swimming in the lake.

“Through the implementation of the recommendations in the Zone Implementation Programme the committee looks forward to continuing to work collaboratively with local rūnagna on increasing the health of the lake,” said Richard Simpson.

Zone committee looking for new appointments next year
Zone Committees around Canterbury are currently discussing the process and timing for appointment of community members as each committee’s three year tenure comes to an end.

“Now is a good time to start getting involved at a zone level and attend one of our monthly public meetings. There is a good chance that fresh ideas will be sought when our tenure comes to an end next year, so we encourage people to get up to speed with what is happening in our zone, and have a say on these important issues,” he said.

The next Banks Peninsula Zone Committee meeting is scheduled for 19 March.

The committee was set up under the Canterbury Water Management Strategy and had its launch in September 2011.

The committee consists of five community members, four Rūnanga representatives, and appointees from Environment Canterbury and Christchurch City Council.

The Banks Peninsula Zone Implementation Programme is available to download at
http://ecan.govt.nz/publications/Council/bp-zone-committee-jan-zip-2013.pdf
or free copies are available from the Akaroa, Little River, and Lyttelton libraries and information centres.

ENDS

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