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Clean-up initiatives
The Authority is pleased to
report that at the completion
of five funding rounds $27
million has been allocated
to a total of 169 individual
clean-up projects. The very
largest of these projects have
been partnerships between
industry, government agencies,
local government and iwi while
the smallest have involved
schools, community groups and
individuals.
According to the Waikato
River Independent Scoping
Study commissioned by the
Ministry for the Environment in
2010, the task to clean up the
Waikato River is estimated at
$2 billion. With $250 million
of Crown funds allocated to the
Waikato River Authority over
a 30-year period, the need for
co-funding from partnering
organisations is essential. The
Authority can report that over
its first five funding rounds it
has been able to achieve a co-
funding ratio of $1.42 dollars
of funding and in-kind support
for every $1 of Waikato River
Clean-up Funds allocated.
While the Authority has been
established with a 30-year life
span, the task of restoring and
protecting the rivers is likely
to take considerably longer.
With this in mind the Authority
has begun the creation of a
long-term river restoration
investment fund that will be
able to provide for river
clean-up and wellbeing
initiatives in perpetuity, at
the end of the Crown’s 30
year funding commitment.
Currently the investment
fund stands at $47 million.
Acknowledgements
As we present this five-
year report we wish to
acknowledge the help
and support that has been
provided to the Waikato
River Authority as it has
become established. The
commitment from current
and previous Authority
board members (including
the Waikato River Guardians
Establishment Committee),
the support from the Hon Dr
Nick Smith (Minister for the
Environment), the Ministry
for the Environment and the
special relationship with the
Waikato Regional Council
have all contributed to
positive progress.
We also recognise at this
time that the undertaking
to restore and protect the
Waikato and Waipa rivers
is considerable and there is
much more to be done before
we can swim in the rivers and
have food gathered from
their entirety.
Teenaa koutou, teenaa
koutou, teenaa koutou kataoa.
Hon John Luxton
Co-Chair
Tukoroirangi Morgan
Co-Chair
Restoring and protecting the health and wellbeing of the Waikato River
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