Taranaki’s fresh water resources, particularly surface water, are highly valued and extensively used.
There are 286 main river catchments that flow into the sea and 530 named rivers. The two largest rivers – the Waitara and Patea rivers – drain large areas of the ring plain and hill country. The remaining catchments are relatively small. Taranaki has ten lakes larger than 8ha.
At normal (median) flows most Taranaki rivers or streams are not overused or under pressure from water takes.
The Council regularly monitors physical and chemical water quality, freshwater biology, freshwater bathing water quality and groundwater. Monitoring shows that Taranaki fresh water is maintaining its quality, and if anything, is actually improving. And water quality in the region is as good as or better than most other equivalent waterways in New Zealand.