Liveable Communities Perspective for Priority Stormwater Catchments

Auckland's 21 Local Boards are a key part of council's governance and have a significant and wide-ranging role in decision-making on local matters, providing local leadership and supporting strong local communities.

The Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Board covers the south-eastern part of the isthmus with the Manukau Harbour and Tāmaki Estuary defining its southern and eastern boundaries. Its 2011-2014 Local Board Plan Priority for Clean Waterways; “We will work towards cleaning up the water flowing into the Manukau Harbour and Tāmaki Estuary, and aim to improve and maintain water quality within them and the foreshores around them”.

To implement this priority, the Board initiated a study to understand stormwater catchments and receiving environment water quality issues to enable prioritisation of funding to improve receiving environment water quality. Whilst the Board’s decision was to install an innovative filter device in road catchpits to retain heavy metals, sediments and gross pollutants, this paper focusses on local community aspirations and priorities for cleaner waterways.

The prioritisation process involved consultation with stakeholders and assessment of;

• The ecological importance of receiving environments in the Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Board area;
• The importance of receiving environments in relation to Auckland Council Park’s assets;
• Any current associated receiving environment improvement works and activities;  Any research and monitoring of the receiving environment; and
• Cultural and environmental importance of particular receiving environments.

The prioritisation process identified key “natural assets” that have significant current and future potential value for the community. Based on this, the Board allocated $400,000 of funding and implemented an innovative filter device in catchpits in the Van Damms Lagoon and Panmure Basin catchment in 2014. This paper presents the methodology and outcomes of this study, linkages with Auckland’s Most Liveable City goal and provides an insight into the Boards draft 2014-2017 programmes leading to the improved quality of waterways.