Freshwater Policy Review

FAQs on the Freshwater Policy Review

• Why do we need a Freshwater Policy Review?

  The NPS-FM provides direction on how we manage fresh water under the Resource Management Act. This includes giving effect to Te Mana o te Wai, a concept that refers to the vital importance of water by prioritising its health and wellbeing, and Te Ture Whaimana o te Awa o Waikato – the Vision and Strategy for the Waikato and Waipā rivers.

  To give effect to the NPS-FM, we need to review the freshwater aspects in the RPS and regional plan. This will cover all land and waterbodies in our rohe, including the Waikato and Waipā river catchment chapter currently being developed through proposed Plan Change 1 and the Lake Taupō chapter.
• What does the Freshwater Policy Review mean for the Waikato?

  Revisions to the regional plan will likely affect how activities are carried out in our region, including taking and using water; discharges to land and water from diffuse sources and point sources; structures and works in wetlands; and the beds of lakes and rivers as well as land use practices.

  These revisions will affect many communities across the region so we want as many people as possible from different backgrounds to be involved in the discussion, so that all community values and needs are reflected in the decisions about how our local waterways will be managed.
• What about the Government's directions on freshwater?

  In December 2023, the Resource Management (Natural and Built Environment and Spatial Planning Repeal and Interim Fast-track Consenting) Act 2023 was repealed, which extended the statutory timeframe for notification of the Freshwater Policy Review from December 2024 to December 2027.

  The Government also indicated that there will be changes to the NPS-FM, including the definition and application of Te Mana o Te Wai. While the council is anticipating these changes, the key principles of Te Mana o te Wai remain relevant in the Waikato region.

  The council acknowledges that the Government is at different stages of reviewing resource management legislation and national direction, which will likely necessitate further changes in the breadth of the Freshwater Policy Review in the future.
• What about Essential Freshwater?

  In August 2020, the Government released its Essential Freshwater package which introduced new rules and regulations which are designed to:

  • stop further degradation of New Zealand’s freshwater resources and improve water quality within five years
  • reverse past damage and bring New Zealand’s freshwater resources, waterways and ecosystems to a healthy state within a generation.

  You can read more about it here.
• How will the Freshwater Policy Review be carried out?

  To achieve consistency with the way freshwater is managed across the country, the NPS-FM contains some key components which we cannot opt out of and therefore, we must implement in our freshwater policy review.

  Te Mana o te Wai

  Te Mana o te Wai refers to the vital importance of water and places its life-supporting capacity at the centre of decision making. This concept will underpin how we look to develop and revise the RPS and regional plan, and how we will work with tangata whenua.

  How we apply Te Mana o te Wai will be determined through our discussions with tangata whenua and communities throughout our region.

  We will also look at ways to actively involve tangata whenua in freshwater management (to the extent they wish to be involved), giving effect to Te Mana o te Wai.

  National Objectives Framework

  The National Objectives Framework (NOF) is a process that connects the values and aspirations for fresh water held by tangata whenua and communities with potential solutions to realise these values.

  By following the NOF process, the revisions to the RPS and regional plan will consider:

  1. what we would like to achieve or see for fresh water and ecosystem health in the future
  2. how we will measure or know if we have achieved these objectives
  3. what the rules and actions will need to be to achieve our aspirations for fresh water

  We will also incorporate mātauranga Māori and use science monitoring data and analysis to support the NOF process, and take into account the foreseeable impacts of climate change to further inform the Freshwater Policy Review.

  Legislation and other statutory documents

  Key legislation and statutory considerations which will inform the Freshwater Policy Review are listed below:

  • Resource Management Act (1991)
  • National Environmental Standards for Freshwater 2020
  • Other national direction documents, including national policy statements and national environmental standards.

  Treaty of Waitangi settlement obligations (current and pending) will also guide the way we engage and impact on decision making.

  Te Ture Whaimana o te Awa o Waikato – the Vision and Strategy for the Waikato River

  Te Ture Whaimana is the primary direction-setting document for the restoration and protection of the Waikato and Waipā rivers. Created through the Treaty of Waitangi settlement process, it captures the aspirations tangata whenua and communities have for these catchments.

  The concept of Te Mana o te Awa within Te Ture Whaimana will be woven into the Freshwater Policy Review and will prevail over any inconsistency with the NPS-FM.
• What is the anticipated timeline for the Freshwater Policy Review?

  Mid 2021 to early 2022

  • Review and compare new requirements with existing provisions
  • Collate science information 
  • Analysis of iwi environmental management plans and catchment management plans
  • Initial engagement begins with tangata whenua to understand Te Mana o te Wai
  • Identify Freshwater Management Units

  Mid 2022 to mid 2023

  • Engagement with tangata whenua and communities to identify visions and values, determine attributes and clarify baseline
  • Engagement feedback reviewed
  • Develop policy approach and test through further engagement

  Late 2023 to mid 2024

  • Confirm project approach following amendment to the statutory timeframe for notification of freshwater planning instruments

  Late 2024 and beyond

  • Establish Technical Advisory Group(s)
  • Confirm governance – Freshwater committee and joint steering group, including on-boarding process
  • Engagement with technical experts, sector and tangata whenua
  • Engagement with communities across the region
  • Notification of freshwater planning instruments by December 2027
• What is a regional policy statement and regional plan?

  The Waikato Regional Policy Statement (Te Tauākī Kaupapahere o te rohe o Waikato), or RPS, is a mandatory document that provides an overview of the resource management issues in the Waikato region and the ways in which management of the region’s resources will be achieved.

  The Waikato Regional Plan implements the RPS by containing the objectives, policy, methods and rules the council will use to manage the natural and physical resources of the region.