Media Release
30 October 2008

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Submission Period Extended Until November 20

The deadline to comment on a major report on Canterbury’s water resources has been extended by three weeks to allow more time for people to provide comment and feedback.

Submissions on the Uses and Benefits Report, summarising current and future uses of water, can now be made up until Thursday November 20.

The Canterbury Water Management Strategy is an 18 month, programme being run by a Steering Group on behalf of the Canterbury Mayoral Forum to develop a long term, community-driven plan for the region’s water resources.

Steering Group Chair Bede O’Malley says the report is the first full overview of how people use and value water, along with the benefits of those uses, and is therefore an important milestone.

“This report developed through a series of local workshops and drawing together the views of a wide range of stakeholders, means we can see how water is valued in different ways by different people. We believe we now have the basis for a proper discussion on some of the more difficult issues around water management, but first we want to hear what the wider public thinks.”

He says the Steering Group is particularly interested in people’s views on two key points.

“We want to know if people feel we have a complete and accurate summary of all of the uses and benefits of Canterbury’s water.

“It may be that some people feel there are some uses or benefits which have been overlooked. Alternatively, they may feel some should be left out.

“We also want to know what issues the public consider to be the true bottom lines for water management in Canterbury. In other words, what outcomes should be enshrined from the outset?”

To this end, the Uses and Benefits report identifies a set of 10 fundamental principles to guide the remainder of the programme. These relate to fairness and equity, guardianship, protection of drinking water quality, environmental (instream) values, access to lakes and rivers, and a range of other dimensions.

“We want to hear from anyone with an interest in Canterbury’s water resources on the principles that will guide the process and also on how they rate the importance of the uses and benefits that have been identified,” Bede O’Malley says.

To receive a copy of the report, visit the website at http://www.canterburywater.org.nz/getting-involved/ Submissions can be made by mail to the Canterbury Water Management Strategy, PO Box 345 Christchurch, or through the automated form on the programme’s website. Comments can also be emailed to info@canterburywater.org.nz

About the Canterbury Water Management Strategy
The Canterbury Water Management Strategy is an 18-month programme of public consultation to develop a community-led plan for managing the region’s water. The programme builds on previous water studies to deliver a strategy at regional and locality level with broad public support. It is led by the Canterbury Mayoral Forum, which is comprised of the mayors and chairs of all councils and the chair and chief executive of Environment Canterbury, which also provides a secretariat to the programme For more information go to www.canterburywater.org.nz

ENDS

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