September 15, 2020
Waikato awa priority in council deal
The Waikato Regional Council says a new deal with Watercare will bring focus back to the awa.
The council and the company along with Auckland Council and Waikato-Tainui have signed a relationship agreement committing all parties to work together to protect the river.
Auckland Council will contribute to a restoration fund for planting and fencing along the awa.
Waikato Regional Council chief executive Vaughn Payne says the new agreement shifted the focus from the needs of Aucklanders, to the needs of the river.
"In the heat of the discussion earlier this year around the drought there was a lot of discussion about Auckland's needs but this agreemment recognises that it is not all about Auckland, it is also about Waikato, provided the needs of the river still come first.," he says.
Watercare has new consents to take 100 million litres a day on top of its existing consent of 175 million litres a day between May and September, when the river flow its highest, and Hamilton City Council is also giving it access to some of its 25 million litres a day consent.
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