Name Change for Water Representative Organisation ‘Water New Zealand better reflects role of water representative body’

Wellington, 23 March 2009

New Zealand’s largest water industry representative body is changing its name to reflect the need for a more cohesive approach to the management, use and conservation of our most precious natural resource.

Water New Zealand is now the trading name of the New Zealand Water and Wastes Association. The Association, formed over 50 years ago, represents the interests of over 1500 members, their organisations a well as professions as diverse as town planners to engineers – from hydrologists through to at-the-coalface operators.

“While our members well understand the need to ensure water for New Zealand’s future, the wider public still view it as being an abundant resource,” said Water New Zealand Chief Executive, Murray Gibb.

“There is a growing awareness of scarce resources generally and a need for sustainability, good husbandry and conservation, rather than wholesale consumption. This policy direction is more accurately reflected in the new trading name,” said Mr Gibb

“In the past stormwater and wastewater have been regarded as waste products that should be disposed of as efficiently as possible. With technological advancements there are now alternatives to disposal for both water borne and other wastes.

“Re-use is becoming more common, so the concept of ‘waste’ is becoming increasingly redundant,” he said.

Mr Gibb says the name change is evolutionary rather than revolutionary which is appropriate given the depth and breadth of work Water New Zealand carries out on behalf of its members.

“As with two other name changes that have been made, the renaming to Water New Zealand reflects the journey our organisation has taken, our future direction and our evolving relationship with society,” he says.

“We believe Water New Zealand will serve us well as we advocate for practical, achievable and focused improvements in the way water is managed in this country.”

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