Watercare and Waikato-Tainui Kawenata Whakawhanaunga: Update
08 October 2024As part of our commitment to Auckland’s water security and quality, we have refreshed our kawenata whakawhanaunga (relationship agreement) with Waikato-Tainui in late 2023, building on a relationship that dates back to when the original Waikato Water Treatment Plant was being built in 1998.
The kawenata whakawhanaunga strengthens the mutual commitment to value the health and wellbeing of the lower Waikato River for the betterment of Auckland and Waikato.
Jamie Sinclair, acting chief executive, says: “We both share an overwhelming desire to ensure the river, and the communities that rely on it, are looked after.
“Every day, our team treats and delivers around 440 million litres of drinking water to Aucklanders. Around 20 per cent of this water comes from the lower Waikato River.
“The river is vital to Auckland and its growth. Working with Waikato-Tainui enables us to take an intergenerational view of what’s required to restore and protect this water source, as well as give back to the river that sustains so many.”
Funding and work plan release date
As part of the kawenata, we are contributing $1 million annually over the next 20 years to fund research, mitigation, and water quality initiatives targeting the lower reaches of the Waikato River, where the Waikato water treatment facility is located.
The first contribution was paid in January 2024 to meet the terms of the kawenata. It is being held by the Waikato Raupatu River Trust until the governance oversight group, made up of directors from our team and Waikato-Tainui, agree an overall work programme.
Sinclair says the group plans to publicly release its programme, with details on the first round of initiatives, by the end of March 2025.
“This is a long-term commitment to improve the health and wellbeing of the Waikato River, which has been declining over many decades.
“We are realistic about how long it will take to make a meaningful difference, which is why we have spread our financial contribution over 20 years,” says Sinclair.
We also contribute $2m each year to the Waikato River Authority – a condition of the latest consent to abstract water from the awa.
This contribution funds projects that protect and restore the full length of the Waikato River and its tributaries. How this money is spent is at the Waikato River Authority’s discretion, and it can be used on projects that improve any part of the vast Waikato River.
Beyond the Waikato River
Sinclair is clear that to deliver for Auckland, we also invest in protecting and enhancing the other water sources Aucklanders depend on.
“We aren’t just looking at the Waikato River, we’re also investing significantly to protect our water sources in the Waitākere and Hūnua ranges. For example, in 2017 we bought a forestry harvesting right in the Hūnua Ranges to give us greater control over the activities in our water catchments,” he says.
“Across a 30-year period, we are progressively regenerating more than 2000 hectares of forestry land by planting millions of native trees and plants. We expect to spend at least $15 million on tree planting alone. This investment protects the quality of the water in our dams, as forestry land is more susceptible to landslips, which can deposit silt into dams and muddy the raw water making it more difficult to treat.”
Details of the Kawenata Whakawhanaunga:
Across the twenty-year agreement we:
- Wish to contribute to the restoration and protection of the health and wellbeing of the Waikato River.
- Desire and anticipates the iwi’s support for any consents our team applies for within the rohe of Waikato-Tainui.
- Wishes to progress its relationship with Waikato-Tainui, addressing any issues in a positive way.
Across the twenty-year agreement Waikato-Tainui:
- Wishes to ensure that its special relationship with the Waikato River is recognised and upheld.
- Wishes to ensure that the health and wellbeing of the Waikato River is restored and maintained.
- Wishes to ensure our team reduces its reliance on the Waikato River by increasing the contribution of other water sources.
- Wishes to reach a commercial agreement concerning the future supply of up to 25,000m3/day of potable water to Waikato-Tainui. To date, no agreement has been reached on this.
- Wishes to progress its relationship with our team, addressing any issues in a positive way.
*At the time this update was published, Jamie Sinclair was acting chief executive as chief executive Dave Chambers was overseas on annual leave. Jamie’s normal role is deputy chief executive.
^ The initial contribution of $1m was reported on the Watercare website as part of our normal monthly disclosure processes for spend with suppliers.