Water

The Bay of Plenty is a region surrounded by water with the Pacific Ocean to our north, the Rotorua Lakes inland to our west and numerous rivers, such as the Whakatane and Waioeka to our east.

We depend on water for our survival, and so does our wildlife. That is why Environment Bay of Plenty wants to ensure our water is a sustainable resource for the future.

What do we do?

Environment Bay of Plenty works with communities in the region by promoting and regulating water management practices.

Some of our current projects include:

• Rotorua Lakes Protection and Restoration Action Programme
• Ohau Channel Diversion
• Water allocations
• Recreational water quality surveillance in the Bay of Plenty
• Water level monitoring which includes our rivers, lakes and a wave buoy
• Regional Water and Land Plan

For information about the work we do in and around our estuaries and coasts, visit our coast section.

We all have a personal relationship to water.                   
We need it, and need to look after it. 
                                     
That’s why Environment Bay of Plenty has joined with other regional councils and the Ministry for Environment in a three-year campaign focused on water. It aims to raise people’s awareness of water use and quality issues, and encourage more personal responsibility in water use in the home and the workplace. You may have seen the advertisements showing fully clothed adults standing up to their waists in river and lakes. The people in the pictures are everyday New Zealanders who, like all of us, depend on freshwater for business, recreation and family life.

Visit the website http://www.4million.org.nz/ to find out more.

If you would like further information on anything discussed in this section, please contact us on 0800 ENV BOP (368 267) or email us at info@envbop.govt.nz.