Water - Policy Summary

Read the full Water Policy

Key Principles

• Water is a taonga and a public good.<
• All water use must be sustainable and water conservation encouraged.
• Water extraction will not exceed the natural rate of replenishment.
• Water management must be on an integrated catchment basis extending from the mountains to the sea.
• Everyone has the right of access to a safe, secure supply of high quality, affordable water for drinking and sanitation.
• Domestic water supply must remain in, or be returned to, public ownership.

Specific Policy Points

• Key decisions about urban water supply, assets and operations must remain under the control of elected bodies.
• Support councils to use water meters to monitor and record water use in residences and commercial properties, for educational purposes, to promote water conservation, and demand side management.
• Community education programmes to encourage water conservation.
• Amend the proposed National Policy Statement on water so that it includes specific targets and time frames for water quality.
• Encourage councils to require land use resource consents for conversion to dairying or intensification of land use, and to set limits on nitrogen and phosphate run-off.
• Encourage waste water disposal to land rather than to water, where slope, soil type and other conditions are appropriate.
• Encourage councils to consult with local groups to develop sustainable biosolids strategies.
• Require councils to keep storm water and waste water separate.
• Establish a contestable fund to support sustainable land management practices on farms (eg nutrient budgeting, riparian planting, conversion to woodlots), to be funded by a levy on nitrogen and phosphate fertilisers and matched dollar for dollar by government.
• Encourage councils to provide for the safe disposal of liquid wastes (eg oil and paint) so they don't pollute waterways through stormwater drains.
• Reduce the impact of roading and transport on water quality by establishing silt traps and filtration for water run-off along major roadways.
• Raise standards for trade waste that goes into ordinary sewers.