We Say/You Say: Water committees

Reporter Northern Outlook

Hi Canterbury,

Have you got what it takes to join your local water committee?

Environment Canterbury have put out a call for Cantabrians to join their local water zone committees, with 9 out of 10 bodies requiring new members.

The committees' responsibility is to develop various plans of action that aim to deliver on Environment Canterbury's water conservation goals as published in the Canterbury Water Management Strategy.

Targets include improvements to the local ecosystem, efficient water usage and adherence to the principles of Kaitiakitanga - a Māori worldview on environment management.

Lower Waitaki Water Zone Committee Chair Bruce Murphy was selected to his local committee a few years ago and is pleased with the work that has been done to improve the health of his local waterway.

"I joined the committee to continue improving the health of Waikakahi Stream, which 25 years ago was in a bad state. Thanks to buy-in from the community, it is now a healthy fishery and I want to keep it that way," he said.

Applications close May 10.

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