Replacing the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 and the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater

Giving councils greater flexibility to balance environmental goals with economic impacts and allow longer timeframes to reach targets where needed

Delivering practical reforms that will restore confidence and reduce red tape, while still delivering environmental gains

Providing councils with the tools to improve water quality without unnecessarily harming businesses and the local economy

What are the circumstances under which Local Authorities can and cannot proceed with Freshwater plan making activity

Understanding the process for Ministerial exemptions required to make plan changes

Understanding the latest developments in Resource Management System Reform assessing progress towards the introduction 2 new Acts – one focused on the natural environment (freshwater, biodiversity, coastal) and the other on planning and development

Reviewing the changes introduce under urgency to Resource Management Act section 107 made under Resource Management (Freshwater and Other Matters) Amendment Bill relating resource consents to discharge pollutants into waterways

Examining the use of Fast-Track Consenting legislation for water sensitive projects

Delivering a factual, reliable, robust and evidence-based benchmark of the state of New Zealand freshwater health

Providing high-quality information about how and why our freshwater environment is changing and the resulting impacts

Assessing the extent of freshwater pollution in New Zealand – are things improving or are they getting worse?

Spotlighting some of the important work being led by communities, iwi and Māori, local government, farmers, businesses and government that’s bringing about tangible improvements for people and our precious freshwater

Recognising nitrate contamination as a major threat to freshwater quality with serious implications for ecological and human health

Understanding the health risks associated with nitrate - examining the growing evidence base of the impacts on human health of exposure the nitrates in drinking water

Reporting the findings of New Zealand's largest investigation of drinking water nitrate levels

Are our levels of nitrate contamination safe – what is the best evidence around whether New Zealand's drinking water standards (NZDWS) maximum acceptable value for nitrate‑nitrogen is safe?

Using the data gathered to help government, iwi, farmers and rural communities monitor water, reduce risks, and support households

Taking a leadership role to urgently address the issue of groundwater pollution impacting drinking water sources and supplies in Canterbury

Are the rules and the plans in place currently sufficient - can our existing plans and rules achieve current safe limits for drinking water sources?

Identifying actions and interventions that the Council can take that don't require changes to plans and rules - working with farmers, industry and mana whenua, and district and regional councils in order to address issues in catchments with high nitrate levels in our groundwater

Considering options for the reallocation of the costs of nitrate removal from drinking water

Assessing how we achieve on-farm productivity while balancing environmental impacts on freshwater?

How have science, innovation and on-farm practices evolved in recent years to enable land use change while maintaining freshwater ecosystem health?

How can the agriculture sector demonstrate the freshwater outcomes required to maintain its social license and contribute to an honest conversation around water in New Zealand?

Championing sustainable land and water management through collaboration, innovation, and local leadership

Fostering meaningful partnerships between, rural communities, landowners, land users, iwi and other key stakeholders to deliver lasting improvements for our waterways at a catchment level

Exploring how farmer-led catchment projects support sustainable land use and improve economic, environmental, and farmer wellbeing outcomes

Sharing knowledge and showcasing innovation and success stories

Delivering the investment in critical water services infrastructure while providing local choice on the delivery models

Exploring the cost efficiencies for water services organisations (WSO) serving over 50,000 connections and the impacts that operating below this cost efficiency threshold will have on financial sustainability

Establishing multi-council council-controlled water services organisations (CCOs) - realising the benefits that can be achieved through consolidation

Accessing long-term lower-cost finance through the Local Government Finance Agency allowing CCOs to service their debt at lower levels helping them spread the costs over time and share them more fairly between current and future ratepayers

Establishing and delivering financially sustainable delivery models – managing the transition

Establishing and delivering financially sustainable delivery models – managing the transition

Delivering the planning, reporting and accountability changes required by the Local Government (Water Services) Bill

Developing the capability to improve capital investment decision making and the accuracy of forecasting to reduce spend

Improving proactive asset maintenance management and delivery and maximising the role of demand management in extending the life of assets

Deciding on the best funding and financing mechanisms and tools that can achieve both financial sustainability and affordability

How can CCOs develop a new kind of contractual relationship with there customers – what opportunities might this bring

Exploring workforce transition issues

Achieving greater operational efficiency, improved governance and more effective management of long-term assets providing certainty around long-term planning and capital delivery

Establishing a regulatory regime - what are the implications of being subject to a form of interim price-quality regulation by the Commerce Commission

Delivering New Zealand’s largest ever $3.4 billion corporate debt capital raise

Examining our plans to invest around $1 billion this year on new and upgraded infrastructure for Auckland