Kaikoura community invited to have say on local water management

The Canterbury Water Kaikoura Zone Committee has released its draft Zone Implementation Programme (ZIP) for water management.

Two community meetings are scheduled for August to give locals a chance to provide feedback on the draft ZIP. A meeting was also held in Kekerengu in late July.

Tuesday 21 Aug 6-8pm - Hay and Pheasant Café, (formerly The Lure), 1800 SH1, Oaro
Wednesday 22 Aug 6-8pm - Memorial Hall, Kaikoura

The draft ZIP brings together the committee’s recommendations for water management in the zone to achieve the goals and targets set out in the Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS).

The vision of the CWMS is to enable future generations the greatest social, economic, recreational, cultural benefits from our water resources within a sustainable framework.

The committee finalised its draft ZIP in June after meeting with stakeholders and community members earlier in the year to get feedback on its priorities for water management.

The committee’s priorities for water management are:

Drinking water
Biodiversity, natural values and mahinga kai
Water, nutrient and effluent management
Kaikoura streams, fans, flats & wetlands
Visitor and transport corridor impacts.

Once finalised, the ZIP will be submitted to Environment Canterbury and the Kaikoura District Council to form the basis for the design and realignment of work programmes and for drafting plan provisions.

The feedback period is from 23 July to 3 September, 2012. Community members can also submit feedback online.

The Kaikoura Zone Committee was launched on 15 July 2011 as a joint committee of Environment Canterbury and the Kaikoura District Council. It includes representatives from council, Rūnanga, and the community.

Since forming the committee has had nine public meetings, a number of workshops and field trips, and engaged with numerous community groups and stakeholders to bring it up-to-speed on water management issues in the zone.

The next zone committee meeting is on 22 August at Memorial Hall, Kaikoura from 2.30 - 5pm. Zone committee meetings are open to the public.