Water New Zealand conference in Rotorua 'puts poacher and gamekeeper in same room'

Challenges around New Zealand's water resources, from providing clean and safe drinking water to solutions for wastewater and storm water, are major topics at the Water New Zealand conference that opened in Rotorua today.

The conference and trade expo has attracted about 1000 delegates and 300 trade-related delegates to Rotorua's Energy Events Centre. It runs until Friday.

Water New Zealand chief executive John Pfahlert said the changing population, along with climate change and an ageing infrastructure, will present some major and costly challenges to communities, local authorities and central government in the future.

"This is one of the forums where you can get the gamekeeper and the poacher in the same room, so you get the regulator and supplier talking about those issues," president Brent Manning said.

While it was not a forum to discuss who owns water in New Zealand, its allocation across different catchments was a major topic.

Mr Pfahlert said the controversial subject of water fluoridation was the topic of a talk held this afternoon.

"We understand that some people don't like chemicals being added to their water, but this is one of the good news stories where for every dollar you spend you get $9 worth of benefit in terms of public health outcomes."

Environment Minister Nick Smith, along with international experts on water, energy and climate are attending the conference, including the president of the World Water Federation and Coca Cola Global Director of Sustainability Paul Bowen, along with the deputy director of the Environment and Research Bureau of Meteorology in Australia, Graham Hawke.

Water New Zealand is a national not-for-profit organisation which promotes the sustainable management and development of New Zealand's freshwater, wastewater and storm water.

It's the country's largest water industry body, providing leadership and support in the water sector through advocacy, collaboration and professional development and has 1600 members drawn from all areas of the water management industry, including regional councils and territorial authorities, consultants, suppliers, government agencies, academia and scientists.