Christchurch West Melton Water Zone Committee progress report
Each of Waitaha/Canterbury’s water zone committees has an action plan which outlines how they will work with the community to deliver their aspirations for freshwater as outlined in the Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS). Committees report annually to let the CWMS partners and the community know how things are tracking.
2022/23 Progress report
From the Chair
Annabelle Hasselman, Christchurch West Melton Water Zone Committee Chair
The Christchurch West Melton Zone Committee believe that our urban waterways are precious. They are a taonga for everyone, and their health is fundamental to our health and wellbeing as a community. They are part of the unique landscape of Ōtautahi and we are all connected to them in some way as they journey from their spring source through our residential, industrial and central city areas to our estuaries and ocean.
Unfortunately, many of our urban rivers have very poor water quality as a range of urban contaminants flow untreated directly into them from our stormwater drains and from the highly erodible slopes of the Port Hills.
Over the last year, the Committee has been focused on working with others in partnership to tackle some of the major issues such as erosion and sediment control. Through our Action Plan budget, we have supported community groups to implement a variety of projects. We have also supported other established groups to continue raising awareness of the key contaminants that make our waterways unhealthy, and highlighting the actions that each of us can take to help stop them entering our rivers. Our Stormwater Superhero Awards highlighted businesses that were doing just that.
Although our zone has one of the smallest areas of the ten zones across Waitaha, approximately 61% of the population of Canterbury live within it. As a committee, we will continue to advocate for the importance of our urban waterways; we are committed to protecting and improving their health.
Annabelle Hasselman.
Key achievements for 2022/23
- Recommendations made to Christchurch City Council (CCC) and Environment Canterbury about erosion and sediment control in August 2022 and to CCC in May 2023 for a ki uta ki tai approach to the development of the Port Hills Management Plan
- Stormwater Superhero trailer facilitation pilot by Christchurch Envirohub for one year independently evaluated, shown to be highly successful
- Recommended allocation of our Action Plan budget
- Updated Action Plan
- Stormwater Superhero Awards 2022
- Community Waterways Partnership grew and litter in waterways was identified as the first joint focus for all partners, with sediment identified as the next focus
- Feedback provided on the draft CCC Healthy Waterbodies Action Plan
- Workshop with community groups held in October 2022
- Early Annual Plan input provided to councils
- Engagement with, and support provided to, a range of community groups doing amazing mahi
- Ko Tāne Waka on Avon team building and cultural trip
- Erosion and sediment control workshop jointly held with the Banks Peninsula Zone Committee and Whaka Ora Healthy Harbour in April 2023
- Helped develop a regional stormwater awareness campaign
- Took part in a Northern CWMS Zone Committee hui about reviewing and updating the Regional Policy Statement, Regional Plan, and Coastal Plan.
Left to right: Waka on Avon Guide, Councillor Greg Byrnes, Brynlea Stocks, Selwyn District Councillor Phil Dean, Cailin Richardson-Hall, Mike Patchett, Helen Rutter, Tyla Harrison-Hunt, Arapata Reuben, Shelley Washington.
Local projects helping to deliver on the CWMS targets
Read some of the stories about what is being done in the zone to deliver on the CWMS targets.
Working with key partners
Community members attend the erosion and sediment control workshop.
On 27 April 2023, a workshop about erosion and sediment control was jointly held by the Christchurch West Melton and Banks Peninsula Zone Committees with Whaka Ora Healthy Harbour. Fifty-seven people participated. Participants included members of the three host organisations, along with representatives from a range of Christchurch and Whakaraupō community groups, council staff, Councillors, researchers and landowners.
The initiatives identified for collaborative follow-up include:
- Documenting and sharing knowledge between practitioners about erosion and sediment control, pasture management and biodiversity enhancement on the Port Hills.
- Advocating to Christchurch City Council for, and to be involved in, development of a holistic ki uta ki tai Port Hills Management Plan (or similar). Collaborate with Ngā rūnanga, Te Kākahu Kahukura, key community groups, and agencies.
- Identify sources of erosion and identify solutions for its management. Provide support for implementation of solutions. This is primarily about maintaining good communication with Christchurch City Council and Environment Canterbury and providing input and feedback.
- Explore opportunities for a soil conservation programme on Banks Peninsula.
- Advocate for the Canterbury Erosion and Sediment Control Toolbox to include agriculture and forestry.
- Consider how to maintain enthusiasm and momentum around this issue and for all the participants at the workshop.
This work helps meet these CWMS targets: Ecosystem health and biodiversity, Kaitiakitanga and Recreational and amenity opportunities
Action Plan budget project
The team trawls for rubbish on the Ōtākaro/Avon River.
The Committee supported the following projects by recommending the allocation of the $50K available for the 2022-2023 CWMS Action Plan budget to Environment Canterbury. Environment Canterbury has approved these projects.
In summary, these projects have included:
- Avon/Ōtākaro in-river clean – litter collection: Avon Ōtākaro Network. $10,000
- Contribution towards an education officer position. Styx Living Laboratory Trust Pūharakekenui. $5,000
- Contribution towards Avoca Valley Stream restoration project. Summit Road Society. $5,000
- Contribution towards coordinator costs. Avon Heathcote Estuary Ihutai Trust. $8,000
- Contribution towards facilitation of Te Tuna Tāone programme. Christchurch Envirohub Trust. $5,000
- Contribution toward facilitation of Stormwater Superhero trailer. Christchurch Envirohub Trust. $8,000
- Te Tiriti o Waitangi training for community members in Shirley. Shirley Village Project and Treaty Education. $2,000
- Willow and woody weed clearing in Ōtukaikino. Water & Wildlife Habitat Trust Board. $10,000
This work helps meet these CWMS targets: Ecosystem health and biodiversity, Kaitiakitanga and Recreational and amenity opportunities
Groundwork in the zone
Representatives of the Committee with winners from Tunnel Wash and Christchurch Readymix Concrete.
In late November, the Committee awarded the 2022 Stormwater Superhero Champion award to Tunnel Wash for excellence in wastewater recycling and reuse, and the collection and treatment of stormwater at the Selwyn Street site in Addington. They are going above and beyond what is required of car washing facilities by councils.
The 2022 Stormwater Superhero award went to Christchurch Readymix Concrete for excellence in retrofitting zero-discharge stormwater, wastewater and sediment management systems at the Branston Street site in Hornby.
The Committee also contributed to the development of the regional stormwater awareness campaign.
This work helps meet these CWMS targets: Ecosystem health and biodiversity, Kaitiakitanga and Recreational and amenity opportunities
Delivering the community's vision for freshwater
The Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS) puts some responsibility for finding solutions for freshwater management in the hands of the community, with support from councils, Ngāi Tahu, and others. The strategy sets out freshwater goals and targets to deliver the community’s vision for freshwater.
Each of the community-led water zone committees work collaboratively to develop freshwater recommendations for councils to help ensure plans give effect to these goals and targets.
Within each target area, there are several specific time-bound targets to be achieved and these are monitored and reported on to ensure progress is being made.
The CWMS targets are: Environmental limits, Ecosystem health and biodiversity, Natural character of braided rivers, Kaitiakitanga, Drinking water, Recreational and amenity opportunities, Water use efficiency, Irrigated land area, Energy security and efficiency and Indicators of regional and national economies.
Future challenges and opportunities - 2023/24
Our future opportunities and challenges are ‘two sides of the same coin’. They include the following opportunities:
- Progress erosion and sediment control and soil conservation initiatives collaboratively, which the Committee has jointly identified with the Banks Peninsula Zone Committee and Whaka Ora Healthy Harbour.
- Participate in the collaborative development of a ki uta ki tai Port Hills Management Plan.
- Form a sub-group with the role of giving effect to the CWMS target of establishing five mahinga kai projects by 2025.
- Support the Healthy Waterbodies Action Plan and advocate for a collaborative partnership for its development and implementation.
- Continue engaging with the Community Waterways Partnership, help it to grow and support initiatives that are part of the Partnership.
- Build community understanding of the impacts of climate change on urban waterways and identify opportunities for adaptation that will increase the ecosystem resilience of urban waterways.
- Participate in regional and local planning reforms in relation to freshwater management and encourage the community to participate.