Next steps for our freshwater

We're developing a new plan for freshwater in Taranaki as part of the Government's Essential Freshwater reforms. Key to this is a kōrero with our community about how we manage freshwater.

The Natural Resources Plan for Taranaki will replace the Council's Regional Freshwater Plan and your feedback will guide the targets, limits and rules in the plan that ensure we manage freshwater effectively for the whole community. 

As part of this process, we're looking to create six Freshwater Management Units (FMUs) in our region which group together waterbodies of similar type into geographically defined areas. 

Community conversation

We heard from our community last year on the vision and values for freshwater and creating the FMUs. We're now seeking feedback on the vision for each FMU and the environmental outcomes we'll be aiming for in each of the six FMUs. Community feedback at this stage is vital, as vision and outcomes will shape how we plan to look after freshwater now and for the future.

To find out more about the FMUs, webpages are being created on each of the six areas. There you'll find discussion documents with in-depth detail about each FMU and the science behind our plans to look after freshwater as well as links to a survey.

The survey links are also below in the 'Share your thoughts' section and the consultation is open from 25 September to 27 October.

Share your thoughts

Click on the link below to take part in the surveys for each of the six FMUs. The map below shows where the FMUs are in Taranaki. You can take part in surveys for areas you live in, work in, have links with or have an interest in that area. Please feel free to take part in one or all of the surveys from 25 September to 27 October.

Public Workshops

 See below for public workshops on the Next Steps for Our Freshwater:

Topic

Date

Time

Venue

Waitara FMU & Northern Hill Country FMU

13/10/2023

10:00 - 12:00

TET Stadium & Events Centre Inglewood 

Volcanic Ring Plain FMU and Coastal Terraces FMU

16/10/2023

10:00 - 12:00

Otakeho Hall, Auroa Road,

Otakeho

Volcanic Ring Plain FMU and Coastal Terrace FMU (same session repeated)

16/10/2023

12:30 - 2:30

Otakeho Hall, Auroa Road,

Otakeho

Pātea FMU & Southern Hill Country FMU

20/10/2023

10:00 - 12:00

Shakee Pear, Stratford

Ask the experts  - A drop in session to speak with our Policy and Science Experts 

20/10/2023

12:30 - 2:30

Shakee Pear, Stratford

Pātea FMU & Southern Hill Country FMU

25/10/2023

10:00-12:30

Southern Lounge, TSB Hub Hawera

Volcanic Ring Plain Consultation

The Council is seeking feedback on the Volcanic Ring Plain Freshwater Management Unit. Here is where you can find the link to the survey and the consultation document.
Read more...

Northern Hill Country Consultation

The Council is seeking feedback on the Northern Hill Country Freshwater Management Unit. Here is where you can find the link to the survey and the consultation document.
Read more...

Pātea Catchment Consultation

The Council is seeking feedback on the Pātea Catchment Freshwater Management Unit. Here is where you can find the link to the survey and the consultation document.
Read more...

Coastal Terraces Consultation

The Council is seeking feedback on the Coastal Terraces Freshwater Management Unit. Here is where you can find the link to the survey and the consultation document.
Read more...

Southern Hill Country Consultation

The Council is seeking feedback on the Southern Hill Country Freshwater Management Unit. Here is where you can find the link to the survey and the consultation document.
Read more...

Waitara Catchment Consultation

The Council is seeking feedback on the Waitara Catchment Freshwater Management Unit. Here is where you can find the link to the survey and the consultation document.
Read more...

Previous conversations

Here you will find the documents from the Council's previous conversations about freshwater.
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The Science

Here you will find the technical memorandum to provide further background information about freshwater in Taranaki.
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National documents

Here you will find key national documents related to the Essential Freshwater reform process.
Read more...