Environment Canterbury

Address inequity in water allocation as most catchments in Canterbury are fully allocated including new water for consents.

Improve data access and model outcomes for irrigation which currently involves a plethora of entangled take and use consents.

Recognise the hugely inequitable future ahead if water appropriateness continues to be assessed in the current way.

More actively enforce the prevention of pollution of waterways by exclusion of stock and by riparian planting.

Require appropriate nitrate budgeting to reduce the nitrification of groundwater and waterways.

Undertake a stocktake of current land use and plan future use to control groundwater pollution.

Achieve clean water and healthy communities by cutting nitrate and sediment pollution through better management practices.

Advance restoration of wetlands and rivers, which provide natural filters and flood buffers.

Protect aquifers by limiting over-extraction and setting sustainable water use limits to safeguard drinking water.

Gradually redesign, rebuild and repair Christchurch City into a sponge city to be more resilient to more intense rainfall.

Manage freshwater quality holistically from the water catchment, including mountains and rivers, underground aquifers and the sea.

Recharge the underground water table before it runs off.

Fix Canterbury's most polluted waterways, which are city creeks, streams and rivers jointly managed by the Christchurch City Council and ECan causing obvious mess and expense.

Start with basics such as filter socks over all drains leading into waterways and regular cleaning and dredging.

Work with, not against, landowners and farmers and legislate only after issues are found rather than based on ignorance or ideology.