26 June 2013

Christchurch-West Melton Zone Committee meeting

The Christchurch-West Melton Zone Committee will meet for its regular monthly meeting on Thursday, 27 June, to discuss local water management issues.

Now that the Christchurch – West Melton Zone Implementation Programme (ZIP) has been endorsed by councils, the committee is focussed on implementing its actions.

These include enhancing local waterways for recreation, improving water quality and flow in waterways, enhancing degraded ecosystems, safeguarding groundwater, and efficient water use.

At Thursday’s meeting the committee will begin by receiving a progress report to raise its awareness and understanding of Stormwater Management Plans (SMPs) - a key regulatory tool for managing the potentially negative impacts of stormwater on urban waterways.

The Christchurch West Melton ZIP states improving surface water quality and quantity is a priority issue for the zone, and recommends stormwater impacts on surface water quality are reduced.

Next, the committee will receive an update the development of the Selwyn-Waihora Sub-Regional Plan from Environment Canterbury. The Selwyn-Waihora committee is currently preparing a ZIP Addendum relating to surface and groundwater catchments that feed into Te Waihora. This will feed in to its sub-regional chapter in the proposed Land and Water Regional Plan (LWRP).

Environment Canterbury’s LWRP is one of a number of key mechanisms that will deliver the goals of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy – to deliver long-term social, economic, cultural, and environmental benefits from the water resource.

The Halswell/Huritini surface water catchment will be addressed in a single sub-regional chapter of the LWRP. The committee will be briefed on the catchment to prepare it for possible water quality and quantity discussions with the Selwyn-Waihora Zone Committee.

At the meeting the committee will also take a back to basics look at the Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS) targets and how they relate to the zone.

The committee will finish the meeting by considering its feedback on the Regional Committee’s additions to its Regional implementation Programme (RIP).

The RIP now includes recommendations on regionally significant features in the six zones not covered in the original version and a series of public meetings are being held in Canterbury this week to get local feedback. For more information visit the Regional Committee page at www.ecan.govt.nz/canterburywater .

The Christchurch-West Melton Zone Committee, formed in late 2011, operates as a joint committee of Environment Canterbury, Christchurch City Council, and the Selwyn District Council. It features six community members as well as three Rūnanga representatives and three from councils.

Committee meetings are open to the public and community members are given the opportunity to participate in water management discussions and share their ideas.

Meeting details

Christchurch – West Melton Zone Committee meeting

6pm, Thursday, 27 June

The Boardroom, Fendalton Service Centre, corner of Clyde and Jeffreys Roads

ends

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