Greater Wellington Regional Council

Increase the level of riparian planting and create wetlands to stabilise the banks of rivers and allow for high rainfall and flood events.

Support water metering to foster conservation and valuing of water, reducing the need for high water take from rivers and new dams.

Work with city councils to identify where cross connections are enabling sewage to overflow and enter waterways.

Increase freshwater supply at the source via nature-based solutions such as regenerating bush around catchments with fencing and trapping.

Keep the harbour and beaches safe for swimming by shifting wastewater and stormwater networks towards best practice rather than minimum consent.

Reduce the take from rivers and aquifers by better managing demand.

Address cross-connections across Wellington that result in sewage entering local streams.

Adopt a new approach to water allocation that ensures fair access for all communities and farmers.

Ensure that wastewater quality standards, including sewage and industrial, remain high despite government intentions to reduce standards.

Address cross-connections throughout Wellington, where wastewater is mistakenly mixed with stormwater, to reduce sewage in streams.

Ensure that wastewater quality standards remain high to reduce pollution, even when central government is looking to reduce standards.

Support the creation of a new water entity co-owned by Wellington councils and make sure it is focused on fixing pipes effectively.

Increase freshwater supply at the source via nature-based solutions, for example regenerating bush around catchments with fencing and trapping.

Keep the harbour and beaches safe for swimming by shifting wastewater and stormwater networks towards best practice rather than minimum consent.

Reduce the take from rivers and aquifers by better managing demand.

Increase riparian planting and wetland restoration using nature-based solutions to reduce pollutant runoff and regulate water flow to improve harbour health.

Review catchment group findings and apply good practice to managing lakes and rivers.

Work with landowners to experiment with the latest irrigation technologies that reduce the amount of water needed for farming.

Carefully monitor the effectiveness and transparency of Metro Water and ensure water is affordable for everyone now and in the future.

Educate the public about the safety and state of our rivers and streams and support keeping these as clean as possible.

Protect the harbour and beaches from sewerage leaks and pollution to ensure everyone has the right to swim in clean waters.

Ensure having rules that protect the water quality of rivers, lakes and groundwater where it is good and restore it where it is bad.

Oppose large-scale water storage such as dams that destroy freshwater ecosystems and enable land use intensification and pollution.

Prioritise the health of freshwater and communities in all decision making on freshwater in line with the concept of Te Mana o te Wai.

Continue to focus on infrastructure upgrades by focusing first on current pipe failures.

Work on a long-term plan for ongoing upgrades and protect natural resources from interventions that will damage the quality of our rivers.

Work to ensure all our natural resources – sea, lakes and rivers – return to swimmable.