Water contaminant reduction

About the programme

This programme is supported by funding from the Water Quality Targeted Rate. It focuses on reducing contamination of our urban and rural waterways.

As stormwater contamination issues differ in rural and urban areas, our Contaminant Reduction Programme is divided into two subprogrammes:

• Urban Contaminant Reduction
• Rural Contaminant Reduction.

Urban Contaminant Reduction (UCR)

In older parts of Auckland, stormwater networks were designed to move stormwater away from urban centres as quickly as possible. There was little thought for stormwater quality.

This subprogramme identifies opportunities to improve water quality treatment within these existing networks.

Rural Contaminant Reduction (RCR)

Sediment runoff from rural land contributes to water quality issues in the rural areas. This subprogramme supports large-scale projects that improve the health of the waterways in the rural areas.

Programme objectives

The aim of this programme is to improve water quality in our existing stormwater networks in both urban areas and overland flows in rural areas before they reach our waterways.

We are:

• reducing litter and road contaminants with stormwater treatment
• supporting landowners with conservation plans and grant-funded works, including fencing and planting initiatives
• encouraging landowners to stick to conservation plans to keep improving water quality and environmental in the future.

Our current focus

We want to maximise gains in water quality through:

• developing Water Quality Improvement Plans in Te Auaunga / Oakley Creek, Puhinui Stream, Māngere, Onehunga and One Tree Hill
• creating strategies to treat pollutants from industrial and commercial areas in Wairau, Henderson, Avondale and Warkworth
• promoting water quality improvements, such as installing traps to catch pollutants during pipe upgrades and network expansions in areas like Glen Innes
• decreasing contamination from industrial and trade activities through the Industrial and Trade Activity proactive programme, which involves visiting 60 sites in Wiri to discuss water quality and broader environmental improvements in the area.