Ask anyone in New Zealand what they know about Rotorua and they will usually say the lakes (after the smell, inevitably).
Those who call Rotorua home often cite the lakes as one of the reasons the region is such a great place to live.
We love playing on the water, whether it's fishing, boating, waterskiing, swimming or just lazing on the water's edge with a picnic while the kids paddle.
So it was great to hear the news yesterday that $24 million of government funding will be re-allocated to a project expected to make a real difference to the water quality of Lake Rotorua.
The Te Arawa lakes water quality improvements programme has been contentious at times, with some farmers and land users around the lake edge understandably worried for their livelihoods.
This funding is expected to go some way to allaying those concerns and help support land users, while at the same time making the lake a healthier and more attractive place to play.
On our Facebook page yesterday, several readers commented clean-up efforts seemed to have been going on for years without any noticeable improvement. However, others argued it's never too late to fix it. Either way, it's an issue Rotorua people clearly care about.
It is not something that is going to happen overnight, but the good news is the stakeholders involved seem to have the motivation, people and ideas to make it happen.
And now they have that $24 million to use in a way they think will achieve the best results.
Let's hope they use it wisely, so we can continue being proud of our lakes.
