MEDIA RELEASE

For immediate release

MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO PORIRUA HARBOUR’S WATER QUALITY

Here’s a chance to help make a difference to the future of water quality standards across the catchment of Porirua Harbour, but be quick; applications close this month.

Greater Wellington Regional Council is seeking people with a keen interest in land and water management issues to be part of Te Awarua o Porirua Whaitua Committee.

This committee will help set catchment specific land and water standards for the Natural Resources Plan for the Wellington region and will include members from Greater Wellington Regional Council’s Natural Resource Committee, Ngati Toa, Porirua and Wellington City Councils and about eight community representatives.

Te Awarua o Porirua Whaitua committee is expected to take up to three years to develop its recommendations and members will receive an honorarium of $5000 a year for their efforts.

Applications close at the end of this month – October 31 – so be quick if you are keen.

The Whaitua committee will be supported by expert advisors to gather community, scientific, economic and geographical information to gain an understanding of the current state of water in the catchment.

It will then use this information to create a unique vision and prioritised objectives for the management of land and water resources in the Porirua catchment. This might include proposing how to manage and allocate land and water resources and recommending programmes of action to improve water quality and water use efficiency.

The programme may include regulatory and non-regulatory ways to achieve the vision. Some of the recommendations will be incorporated into the Natural Resources Plan for the Wellington region, while others will be picked up and implemented by the community.

A whaitua committee has already been established for the Ruamahanga (Central Wairarapa) and will also be established for the Wairarapa Coast, Wellington Harbour catchments and Kapiti Coast.

Find out more and apply at http://www.gw.govt.nz/te-awarua-o-porirua-whaitua-committee/

View a 5 minute video on the establishment of whaitua at http://www.gw.govt.nz/whaituacommittees/

ENDS

© Scoop Media