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Water New Zealand

Water New Zealand

By Water New Zealand

"Whakarongo ki te tāwara o te wai" "Listen to the murmurs of water". A Water New Zealand podcast series.
Currently playing episode

Navigating to net zero – Wellington Water’s roadmap - Episode 1

Water New Zealand Aug 23, 2023

00:00
24:02
Water resilience - dealing with the big dry

Water resilience - dealing with the big dry

Tawara o te Wai – Water New Zealand’s podcast series 

Drought – what happens when water demand exceeds the ability of suppliers to meet the needs of communities?  How do we ensure people get access to safe drinking water while  not depleting water from our rivers and the wider environment?

Wellington’s real risk of water shortages this summer has brought home the need to prepare for more extreme weather and build better long-term water resilience.

The blame for the capital’s water woes has been on the city’s aging leaking infrastructure. But the impact of climate change also played a big role in Wellington’s water shortages these past months.

It’s now recognised that the longer drier months and extreme rainfall events will become the new norm into the future.   That’s why planning for extreme weather and drought is now a key challenge for water utilities both here and overseas.

In our latest Tawara o te Wai podcast, hosts Jon Reed and Hannah Edmond spoke to Wellington Water’s chief executive Tonia Haskell and Meyrick Gough, the technical director of South East Water in the UK  – a utility that supplies drinking water to 2.3 million people in the southeast of England.

There, the climate in recent years has been affected by longer, dryer spells and recent droughts That’s sparked the development of detailed resilience planning focusing on the impact of more extreme weather scenarios.

Meyrick explains the work underway and we also talk about how vital it is that communities are brought into the picture.

Mar 27, 202434:16
Future of water - challenges on both sides of the ditch

Future of water - challenges on both sides of the ditch

Ensuring a sustainable and affordable water future and the need to attract new young people to the water sector are two key challenges the industry faces on both sides of the Tasman.

 In the first Tāwara o te Wai podcast for 2024, Water New Zealand members Jon Reed and Hannah Edmond discuss these issues with Water New Zealand President Lorraine Kendrick and Australian Water Association President Peter Dennis.


Mar 06, 202426:40
Inside COP28 - the water discussion

Inside COP28 - the water discussion

Don't under-estimate COP28 progress despite the failure to agree to a fossil fuel phase out and the rapidly closing timeframe to avert a climate crisis.

This was the view of two Aotearoa New Zealand water sector leaders who attended the summit.

In our latest Tāwara o te Wai podcast, Water New Zealand climate change group members, Jon Reed and Hannah Edmond talk to Beca chief executive Amelia Linzey and Green Climate Fund water sector lead, Bapon Fakhruddin.

Water is at the centre of climate change and how we manage future water challenges was reflected during the summit discussions.



Dec 21, 202324:21
COP28 - NZ water leaders head to Dubai

COP28 - NZ water leaders head to Dubai

Water will be one of the key discussions at the COP28 meeting currently underway Dubai.

Around 200 countries will be meeting at the UN climate meeting in the hope of limiting global warming.

This year, in recognition of the impact of climate change on water, there will be a water pavilion which is being seen as particularly relevant to us here in Aotearoa New Zealand as we navigate the changes needed to manage and integrate our water resources.

Water New Zealand’s climate change group members Jon Reed and Hannah Edmond spoke to two water leaders, Beca CEO Amelia Linzey and Bupon Fakhruddin who’s the water sector lead at the Green Climate fund, as they headed off to COP28.

Nov 30, 202318:07
Navigating to Net Zero - Yarra Valley Water's ambitious targets - episode four

Navigating to Net Zero - Yarra Valley Water's ambitious targets - episode four

Navigating to net zero –Episode 4. Yarra Valley Water plans to generate all its own energy and be carbon neutral by 2025. But it’s not stopping there.  With the support of its customers, the large Melbourne-based water retailer has ambitions to become a fully regenerative business aimed at leaving the environment in a better state.

Water New Zealand Climate Change Group members Jon Reed and Hannah Edmond continue their four-part series looking at the water sector’s journey to net zero.  In this edition they spoke to Yarra Valley Water’s environment and community resilience manager Lisa Ehrenfried and head of energy and emissions, Simon Prunster.

Nov 27, 202330:14
Young water professionals unravel climate change

Young water professionals unravel climate change

Climate Change is arguably the biggest challenge facing the water sector here and internationally. That's why there was a huge emphasis on climate change mitigation and adaptation at the recent Water New Zealand Conference and Expo 2023. Water New Zealand Climate Change Group members Jon Reed and Andrew Springer spoke to three young water professionals who attended the conference and asked them for their thoughts on the many papers presented and the direction that we, as a sector, need to be taking.

Nov 08, 202325:29
 Navigating to Net Zero - How Anglian water has taken a lead - episode 3

Navigating to Net Zero - How Anglian water has taken a lead - episode 3

Anglian Water is a world leader in reducing carbon emissions. As an early starter, the big UK water utility embarked on its carbon zero journey in 2006 and is now on track to generate 45 percent of energy from its own renewable resources by 2025 and become a full net zero carbon business by 2030.

In this podcast Jon Reed and Hannah Edmond from the Water New Zealand climate change group talk to Anglian Water’s head of carbon neutrality, David Riley about the water utility’s bold approach to tackling climate change and the carbon reduction lens covering all aspects of its operation.

Listen to episode three of Navigating to Net Zero – Aotearoa’s water sector low carbon journey – a four-part series focusing on how we can reduce our carbon emissions in the water sector.

Oct 01, 202330:52
Navigating to net zero - Queenstown's journey - Episode 2

Navigating to net zero - Queenstown's journey - Episode 2

Four years ago Queenstown Lakes District Council declared a climate and ecological emergency recognising the need to act now to protect the natural environment.

In Water New Zealand’s second Navigating to Net Zero podcast, Climate Change Group members Jon Reed and Hannah Edmond spoke to senior three waters civil engineer Calum Pringle about how the Queenstown council is working to achieve net zero carbon at project level and the challenges and opportunities of integrating the goals into the infrastructure and work programmes.

Listen to the second episode in our four-part series.  You can also listen to episode one on Wellington Water’s roadmap to net zero by clicking our Spotify account.

This is a four-part Water New Zealand podcast series which aims to unpack some of the issues the water sector needs to tackle to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Our next podcast will focus on change management and the skills need to achieve these goals.

Sep 12, 202326:08
Navigating to net zero – Wellington Water’s roadmap - Episode 1

Navigating to net zero – Wellington Water’s roadmap - Episode 1

Water New Zealand’s four-part series on how the water sector can achieve carbon zero by 2050

Episode one – Jon Reed and Hannah Edmond talk to Fraser Clark about Wellington Water’s roadmap to net zero – the challenges and opportunities.

Aug 23, 202324:02
Using nature to design better stormwater solutions - pre conference workshop preview

Using nature to design better stormwater solutions - pre conference workshop preview

Workshop facilitators Stu Farrant and Allan Leahy discuss the importance of multi-disciplinary stormwater design and why developers, designers and regulators need to work with nature and natural processes to protect environments and communities. Listen to why this is a workshop for anyone with an interest in urban stormwater design. 

Mar 30, 202307:02
A Conversation with Alan Sutherland | Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk

A Conversation with Alan Sutherland | Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk

Welcome to the Water New Zealand podcast: Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk.

Mar 02, 202358:21
Developing Equitable Relationships with Iwi | Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk

Developing Equitable Relationships with Iwi | Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk

Welcome to the Water New Zealand podcast: Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk. 

Mar 02, 202332:19
 A conversation with Tā Tipene O'Regan | Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk

A conversation with Tā Tipene O'Regan | Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk

Welcome to the Water New Zealand podcast: Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk. In this episode, Water New Zealand CEO, Gillian Blythe talks to former long-serving Chair of the Ngāi Tahu Māori Trust Ward, Tā Tipene O'Regan. An abridged version of the discussion was shown at the Water New Zealand Conference & Expo 2022 in October.

Nov 09, 202259:03
Pathway to Water - uplifting the workforce | Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk

Pathway to Water - uplifting the workforce | Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk

Welcome to the Water New Zealand podcast series: Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk. In this episode, Debra Harrington has a conversation with Mumtaz Parker (Water New Zealand), Nick Hewer-Hewitt (Wellington Water), Ian Couling (WSP), and Donna Topping (Downer) on uplifting the water sector workforce to meet present and future demands.

Oct 04, 202225:19
Carbon Challenges - looking at ourselves | Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk

Carbon Challenges - looking at ourselves | Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk

Welcome to the fourth episode in the Water New Zealand podcast series: Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk. In this episode, Lesley Smith has a conversation with  Andrew Springer (WSP), Quintin Prinsloo (Fulton Hogan), and Hayden Miller (Fulton Hogan) on climate change.

Sep 06, 202233:25
Plastic Pandemic | Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk

Plastic Pandemic | Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk

Welcome to the third episode in the Water New Zealand podcast series: Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk. In this episode Debra Harrington has a conversation with Mike Hannah from Stormwater360, Helena Ruffell (Microplastics in soils PhD candident), and Liz Butcher from Ministry for the Environment on plastic pollution in water.

Aug 03, 202228:09
Te Mana o te Wai | Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk

Te Mana o te Wai | Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk

Welcome to the second episode in the Water New Zealand podcast series: Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk. In this episode Mumtaz Parker has a conversation with Water Practitioner & Civil Engineer, Troy Brockbank (Te Rarawa, Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi) and Water New Zealand President & Environmental Lawyer, Helen Atkins on Te Mana o te Wai.

May 09, 202231:00
World Water Day 2022 | Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk

World Water Day 2022 | Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk

Welcome to the first episode in the Water New Zealand podcast series: Tāwara o te Wai - Water Talk. In this episode Chief Executive, Gillian Blythe has a conversation with three groundwater professionals for World Water Day 2022. 

Mar 21, 202201:00:08