Research into Ahuriri Estuary could lead to greater investment in stormwater and wastewater infrastructure

Both Hawke's Bay Regional council and Napier City council have collected years of data on Te Whanganui-a-Orotu (Ahuriri Estuary), pictured. Photo / Paul Taylor

Greater investment in stormwater and wastewater infrastructure is a possible outcome of research into Ahuriri Estuary.

Te Whanganui-a-Orotu (Ahuriri Estuary) will be part of a National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) study into contaminants.

The two-year study, named Ki uta ki tai: Estuaries, thresholds and values, will cover 12 estuaries with a focus on the type and quantity of contaminants each estuary is receiving from rivers and streams.

HBRC Science Manager Anna Madarasz-Smith said the research will help guide the development of policies and rules and management actions to mitigate effects on the environment.

"It is likely that it will drive the need for greater investment in stormwater and wastewater infrastructure by district and city councils in the medium to long term."

She said the council provides data to the NIWA team to assist the research on Te Whanganui-a-Orotu.

"HBRC has committed to enhancing our national understanding of estuarine state, pressures and responses in order to improve outcomes for our estuaries."

She said HBRC has monitored most regional estuaries since 2006 and has extensively through state of the environment and other specific reports.

She said existing plans focussed on estuary health included the Ahuriri Protection and Enhancement project and targets to improve environmental outcomes in the Ahuriri and Waitangi Estuaries provided through the council's TANK plan change (schedule 26).

A Napier City Council spokeswoman said NCC did not have direct jurisdiction over Te Whanganui-a-Orotū, but they had supported research projects to explore the overall health of Ahuriri Estuary before as a consequence of the public stormwater network.

"These projects have included historic contaminant profiling from within the sediment of Te Whanganui-a-Orotū, toxicity effects on aquatic species, bacteriological contaminant profiling, and species stock takes.

"Many of these projects are recurring annually to allow tracking of changes within the estuarine environment."

The spokeswoman said NCC has not been approached by NIWA directly at this stage but the council has a significant amount of data and observations which would be offered to NIWA where it is of use.

The spokeswoman said the council has approved funding for water quality enhancement projects in the current and upcoming financial years.