A region-wide roadshow of community meetings about freshwater in Otago comes to a close this week, and people have just a few more days to share freshwater visions for their freshwater management unit or rohe.

The Otago Regional Council (ORC) has been conducting meetings from Owaka to Oamaru and everywhere in between since late October, as part of the preparation for its upcoming Regional Policy Statement (RPS).

The meeting in Wānaka was on the November 25.

One section of the RPS, newly required under this year’s National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management, requires ORC to canvas Otago communities for their freshwater visions for the future of the region.

The RPS will set the environmental management direction for Otago, and is scheduled for notification in June next year.

Team Leader RPS, Air and Coast Lisa Hawkins said turn-out at the community meetings had been good, and people were eager to engage.

“This consultation is really packing a huge campaign into a short window, so we are really grateful to everyone who has joined in to have their say on the future of freshwater in Otago.”

The online survey had received 138 responses as of the morning of November 25.

Community and iwi visions for freshwater will be included as part of the RPS, which is on track to be notified by June 2021 in accordance with ORC’s commitment to the Minister for the Environment.

Freshwater management units and rohe are geographic areas for managing freshwater and land use. The boundaries have been proposed by ORC and enable a tailored approach rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

If you missed the meeting in Wanaka and still want to have your say, you can fill out an online survey up until 5pm this Friday, 27 November, at https://yoursay.orc.govt.nz/our-water-our-vision.

Read edition 1002 of the Wānaka Sun here.