Government freshwater work programme
What we are doing to restore and protect the health of our waterways.
What we are doing to restore and protect the health of our waterways.
Our freshwater and the life it supports are under threat, particularly in urban and intensively farmed areas.
Read the latest national environmental report on the state of our freshwater
Read the Essential Freshwater overview factsheet for more information on the workprogramme.
The initiatives are part of the Essential Freshwater work programme.
We are putting Te Mana o Te Wai – the life-supporting capacity of freshwater – at the centre of our decision-making.
We have updated the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management so that it:
Read the Te Mana o te Wai factsheet
Find out how we are giving effect to Te Mana o te Wai
A new streamlined freshwater planning process was introduced in 2020 as part of several amendments to the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA).
It must be followed by regional councils and unitary authorities when preparing, changing, or varying regional policy statements and regional plans (freshwater instruments) that give effect to any national policy statement for freshwater management, or otherwise relate to freshwater. This includes giving effect to Te Mana O Te Wai, as required under the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020.
Regional councils and unitary authorities are required to have amended freshwater policy statements and plans notified by the end of 2024, and operational by 2026.
A new freshwater planning process factsheet
A new freshwater planning process: technical guidance for councils
We amended the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater 2020 and National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 to:
Read the factsheet on wetlands
See the consultation on the proposed amendments to natural wetland provisions (consultation held in 2021)
See the consultation on the proposals for managing our wetlands in the coastal marine area - related to the application of the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater 2020 to natural wetlands in the coastal marine area. (consultation closed in September 2022)
Find out more about the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater 2020
Find out more about the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020
Through regulations we are requiring farms that meet certain criteria to have a freshwater farm plan. Freshwater farm plans will identify practical actions on farm that help improve your local waterways. This will provide a more flexible and practical way to identify and deal with on-farm environmental risks.
Find out more about freshwater farm plans
We sought feedback on implementation of the freshwater farm plan system
We have introduced regulations to exclude stock from waterbodies (dairy and beef cattle, pigs and deer).
Find out more about the regulations and changes to the low slope map
We are also proposing changes to the intensive winter grazing regulations.
Find out about the proposed changes to the intensive winter grazing regulations
Almost every catchment in New Zealand is at risk from human activity in one way or another.
The at-risk catchments project aims to deliver:
We have made changes to water measuring regulations so that waters users have to provide electronic use records to councils.
Find out more about the regulations