Minister opens new Waterways Centre

Improved knowledge and skills will play an important role in improving New Zealand's water management, Environment Minister Nick Smith says.

Dr Smith today opened the new Waterways Centre in Christchurch - a joint initiative between Canterbury and Lincoln Universities that creates a centre for excellence in water resource education and research.

"Fresh water is so plentiful in New Zealand that we have been too casual about its management," Dr Smith said. "We now have major issues with water quality and allocation that will require better regulation, stronger institutions and improved knowledge and skills.

"The important role for the Waterways Centre is to bring together the engineering, agricultural, geology, environmental and geography disciplines of Canterbury and Lincoln Universities to help provide the research and skills base to help New Zealand better manage water.

"The Government is contributing $1 million to the Centre from the Tertiary Education Commission's Encouraging and Supporting Innovation Fund. We commend Canterbury and Lincoln Universities for taking up this initiative.

"This new centre needs to be seen alongside the Land and Water Forum process, the Government's decisions to appoint commissioners at Environment Canterbury, the mandatory requirement for irrigators to install water meters, the development of stronger national standards with a new Environmental Protection Authority and tougher penalties and enforcement of water quality standards.

"Better fresh water management is crucial to the development of the New Zealand economy