Information for tāngata whenua

‘Ko tātou ko te wai, ko te wai ko tātou – We are the water and the water is us'

As kaitiaki and rangatira, tāngata whenua have roles and responsibilities to protect freshwater.

Council is committed to improve how we involve tāngata whenua in looking after freshwater. The draft Freshwater Plan Change supports tāngata whenua involvement in managing freshwater and contributes to our obligations as a Te Tiriti partner. That means enabling tāngata whenua to participate actively in freshwater management and decision-making so whānau, marae, hapū and iwi can fulfil their roles and responsibilities through mātauranga Māori, kawa and tikanga.

Tāngata whenua have told us there has been huge loss to the mauri of wai māori (freshwater), ecosystems and taonga species that rely on wai.

What’s the difference between the draft Freshwater Plan Change and the three waters reforms?

The draft Freshwater Plan Change is different to the three waters reforms. Three waters is about our drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services. The draft Freshwater Plan Change is about our rivers, streams, lakes, and wetlands.