The Canterbury Water Management Strategy includes a number of key points that have been proposed as a way for Canterbury to manage it's water resource in the best possible way. The implementation of some of the key points is well underway.
These include:
Integrated Management
A total solution will involve integrated management both horizontally across all of Canterbury, and vertically from the locality through to Central Government. This section outlines the proposed structure.
At the locality level 10 water management “zones” are envisaged. Each is sufficiently large to enable the management of abstraction from surface and groundwater systems to be integrated with the management of the irrigated areas where the water is used.
Implementation programmes
Implementation programmes will be developed for each zone and at the regional level. Central government, Ngāi Tahu as tangata whenua, and all relevant stakeholders will be involved in developing the programmes. The general public will also be encouraged to influence the development of these programmes.
Water governance structure
At local level a Zone Water Management Committee is being established for each zone to co-ordinate the development of the zone implementation programme.
A Regional Water Management Committee is being established to handle issues that are common across the region or cannot be managed satisfactorily at zone level.
There is also a need for national tripartite forum to address issues that are unlikely to be resolved by the zone and regional committees.
Water Executive
An executive body has been established to manage the implementation programmes on a day to day basis. The executive is an active facilitator.
Water infrastructure and services entity
Consideration is being given to setting up a water entity under the auspices of the Canterbury local authorities. Designing, building, financing and operating the larger elements of the regional water storage and distribution system, this could be a council controlled organisation with a 50/50 joint venture with a private investor.
Legislative implications
The Resource Management Act (RMA) will continue to apply, with individual water consent applications, appropriate conditions, and compliance action remaining key features. It is not clear at this stage whether amendments to the RMA will be needed to give effect to this new regime.