Water is critical for us all
Water. It's a precious resource. A taonga. Essential to our people and the world we live in. We need to make sure there is plenty, that it's good quality, and used effectively and sustainably.
We're working to safeguard access to water for our primary industries and rural communities. This work will:
- give farmers and growers more options for using their land
- encourage investment in high-value, low-emission products
- create jobs for skilled workers
- build rural community resilience to challenges such as climate change.
Why we need to ensure water availability and security
Reliable access to safe water is needed:
- to irrigate our crops, orchards, and pastures
- to produce safe food for our consumers
- for our processing industries
- for animal health and welfare
- for our communities.
The work we're planning to do about water
We'll be looking at the resilience of our water supply and distribution networks for food and fibre production and processing. This includes ways to conserve or recycle water, as well as how to increase water use efficiency.
It is essential that our use of water is sustainable and:
- grows our exports
- creates more jobs
- restores the health of our rivers, lakes, and streams
- reduces our greenhouse gas emissions
- avoids unnecessary use of our freshwater.
Understanding water: its role and uses
The first phase of our work was to gather information. To understand the role of water within the food and fibre sector and rural communities. And how it links with other uses of water. This understanding will help us focus our efforts where they are needed most.
Water availability and security in Aotearoa New Zealand (2021 information paper) [PDF, 3.5 MB]
Aqualinc Research Limited has also analysed the current state of water supply and demand. It looked at:
- the availability of water from different natural sources
- the reliability of those sources
- districts and regions that have the potential for water storage development.
Water availability and security: national-scale assessment (2021 technical paper) [PDF, 26 MB]
A follow-on paper that assesses the sensitivity of the current state of water supply and demand to climate and regulatory change was completed in 2022.
Water availability and security: national-scale assessment (2022 technical paper) [PDF, 14 MB]
What we are doing next
We are finalising the details of the next phase of our work. It will include:
- more research
- creating partnerships
- finding ways to help reduce risks.
Find out more
Water availability and security information sheet [PDF, 416 KB]
