Manawatu River Leaders' fight for water funding successful

The Manawatu River mouth at Foxton Beach

The Manawatu River Leaders' Forum has successfully secured $2.92 million from central government under the Freshwater Improvement Fund to contribute to works totalling $7.24 million over five years.

Horizons Regional Council, Palmerston North City Council, Manawatu, Tararua and Horowhenua District Councils, iwi and landowners applied to the Freshwater Improvement Fund on behalf of the River Accord in April.

Manawatu River Leaders' Forum chairman Richard Thompson said the application was successful in more than half of its components, with many Accord actions now able to proceed in a shorter timeframe.

"We are delighted to have secured this funding from the Ministry for the Environment, which equates to 40 per cent of the $7.24 million being put towards initiatives to improve the health of the awa.

Horizons will be the lead agency and will contribute $1.96 million, while Palmerston North City, Horowhenua and Manawatu District Councils will contribute a combined $1.08 million. The remaining $1.27 million will come from landowners," he said.

Accord partners will also continue to put in significant in-kind support.

Projects to be completed over the next five years include the upgrade of Tokomaru's wastewater treatment plant which will now discharge to land, 250 kilometres of stream fencing, 200,000 riparian plants, 20 fish pass fixes, 45 community projects, Palmerston North City Council's urban streams project, and matauranga Maori and cultural monitoring, and $500,000 will be set aside for community grants to help improve water quality.

The Manawatu River is showing signs of water quality improvement.

Of the 16 monitored areas in the catchment from 2006-2015, 31 per cent had improved bacteria levels, 50 per cent had improved in turbidity and phosphorus, and 75 per cent had improved nitrogen levels.

A further $2.92 million of central government funding will be attributed to Whangaheu River, Lake Waipu, and Lake Horowhenua projects over the next three to five years.