MEDIA ADVISORY
27 August 2012

Ashburton Zone Committee Meeting

The Ashburton Zone Committee will meet at the Ashburton Council Chambers on 28 August for its monthly meeting.

At the meeting the committee will receive a number of presentations from experts and industry leaders relating to water issues in the zone.

A key focus for the committee will be the Hinds-Rangitata sub-regional plan. In July the committee agreed that a flow, allocation and water quality planning regime for the Hinds-Rangitata area be developed during 2012/13 to be included in the Ashburton sub-regional chapter of the proposed Land and Water Regional Plan (LWRP).

The proposed LWRP provides the framework to facilitate delivery of the community’s aspirations for water management – as set out in the Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS).

At Tuesday’s meeting the committee will agree on a first draft of the community identified outcomes for flows and water quality in the Hinds-Rangitata area and then discuss how to engage with the community to confirm its approach and determine how these outcomes can be delivered.

At the meeting the committee will also work with Environment Canterbury on the progress and processes involved with implementing the community’s vision for water management.

The Ashburton Zone Committee finalised its Zone Implementation Programme (ZIP) for water management in late 2011. The ZIP was developed with the community to give effect to the goals in principles in the CWMS.

The vision of the CWMS is to enable present and future generations to gain the greatest social, economic, recreational and cultural benefits from our water resources within an environmentally sustainable framework. The Ashburton ZIP has since been endorsed by councils as the basis for the design and realignment of work programmes, for drafting regional plan provisions.

At the meeting the committee will get an update from Environment Canterbury staff on the on-the-ground actions outlined in the ZIP including consents, water quality, planning and water measuring in the zone.

The committee will also receive a presentation on the Ashburton District Council Water project before going on to look at regional water management issues including updates from the Regional Water Management Committee and one on water infrastructure.

The CWMS identifies infrastructure as a means to contribute to all the strategy’s targets. In particular, infrastructure can address future-proofing issues such as ecosystem support in a changing climate and water quality management through enhanced reliability and distribution efficiency.

The Ashburton Zone Committee is a joint committee of the Ashburton District Council and Environment Canterbury. The Ashburton zone extends from the Rakaia River to the Rangitata River and includes Ashburton, Rakaia and Methven.

Meeting information

Ashburton Zone Committee meeting
9:30am, Tuesday 28 August 2012
Council Chambers, 5 Baring Square West, Ashburton

For an agenda visit: http://ecan.govt.nz/news-and-notices/minutes/Pages/ashburton-agenda-280812.aspx .

ENDS

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