Locals get more sway over water

A new water management strategy may consider a more localised approach to resource consent issues.

The Canterbury Water Management Strategy, announced yesterday, lays out a series of core principles for all water management and resource consents in the region. It also proposes 10 separate committees dedicated to specific water zones.

The draft strategy document does not reveal details about the membership of each committee. But the suggestion is that each committee would include representatives from the regional council, district authorities, Ngai Tahu and interest groups like Federated Farmers or Fish and Game.

South Canterbury will have three zonal committees, covering the Upper Waitaki, Orari-Pareora and Lower Waitaki respectively.

South Canterbury Federated Farmers irrigation spokesman Tom Henderson welcomed the approach.

"I am pleased with the initiative," he said.

"It means there will be local people on the ground dealing with the issues before we have to deal with people from outside the region or from the North Island who have no knowledge of how things are done here."

"The time for talk is over," Mr Henderson said.

"The great thing about this strategy is that it gives a wide opportunity for us to use lateral thinking and imagination, so we can achieve the best outcome for the environment, community and the economy," he said.

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said the committees would still have to work within the strategy's overall framework, which has set targets for water quality, riparian stream restoration and biodiversity enhancement.

"No one group has the best answer, and we need to acknowledge the only way we can get the best results for the environment and the economy is through collaboration," Mr Parker said.

Timaru mayor Janie Annear said the change in approach was "a long time coming".

"There was big push in the mayoral forum for local solutions to local problems," she said. "The triple bottom line of economic sustainability, social sustainability and environmental sustainability must be addressed first, but examples such as the Opuha Dam show the community can achieve outcomes that please everyone."

Environment Canterbury chairman Sir Kerry Burke said the committees could work with the regional council in much the same way as they do in regards to pest management.

He said ECan's statutory authority role would not change as a result of the proposal, but would benefit from increased local input.

Mackenzie Mayor John O'Neill said he looked forward to the new direction set.

"The strategy finally gives us real options to address the pressing issues surrounding water," he said.

Submissions to the strategy close next month.

- © Fairfax NZ News