Councils Must Work Together On New Water Model - ECan Chair

Friday, 10 October 2025, 5:57 pm
Article: David Hill - Local Democracy Reporter

The proposed Canterbury freshwater catchment model will require councils to work together more, says outgoing Environment Canterbury chairperson Craig Pauling. 

The Canterbury Mayoral Forum, which represents the region’s mayors, completed a review of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy earlier this year. 

This led to the region’s 10 water zone committees being disbanded. 

New leadership groups will replace the committees, in a shakeup of how freshwater is managed in the region Mr Pauling said he hopes the new groups will better reflect hydrological catchments rather than district council boundaries. 

‘‘The thing about catchments is humans didn’t create them, but they are where they are. ‘‘Rūnanga understand this, so councils just need to get on with it.’’ 

Catchments take in rivers, streams, water ways and groundwater, which are all interconnected, Mr Pauling said. 

The mayoral forum considered a proposal earlier in the year to establish eight new catchment committees: 

Clarence / Waiau Toa Kaikōura, Hurunui Waiau, Rakahuri Waimakariri-Ihutai, Whakaraupō-Te Pātaka, Waihora Rakaia, Hakatere, Rangitata- Ōrāri Temuka Ōpihi Pareora, and Waitaki Waihao. 

The move was not popular with all mayors and local zone committees, with the Kaikōura and Waimakariri district councils among those to express objections. 

Under the proposal, the Clarence / Waiau Toa Kaikōura catchment would be similar the former zone committee, comprising an area from north of the Clarence River down to the Conway River.

It could see the Kaikōura District Council working with Environment Canterbury (ECan), and the Hurunui and Marlborough district councils, Mr Pauling said. 

The Rakahuri Waimakariri-Ihutai catchment would take in the entire Ashley Rakahuri and Waimakariri river systems, including part of Hurunui in the north and Styx and Ōtūkaikino on the south side of the Waimakariri.

It could see the Waimakariri District Council working with ECan, Selwyn, Christchurch and Hurunui councils.

‘‘The upper Waimakariri is in the Selwyn district and we need to be looking at the Waimakariri River as a whole catchment, as what happens upstream can impact downsteam,’’ Mr Pauling said. 

‘‘If we need to have councils working together, then that is a good thing." 

At the southern end of the region, the large Waitaki River catchment would be treated as one catchment rather than two zone committees under the proposal. 

ECan senior strategy manager Cameron Smith said conversations are continuing between ECan, mana whenua, and local councils. He said there may be some change to the proposed boundaries, but these have not been confirmed. 

The councils aim to have all freshwater leadership groups established by March. 

The Hurunui District Council has proposed forming a land and water committee with ECan, Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga, Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura and community stakeholders. 

The Waimakariri and Kaikōura councils have indicated it will be up to the incoming councils to decide on the final makeup of local freshwater groups. 

-LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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