The Water New Zealand Conference and Expo - we're all set to go but you can still register for this key event, submissions on improving drinking water source protection close soon, and would you like to join our team and help make a positive difference to the future of our water environment in Aotearoa New Zealand? See more below
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Latest Updates
Ensuring critical water supply through Omicron
Now that we have moved to Phase 2 of the Government's Omicron, COVID-19 response, it is important that organisations register as a critical service if they think they will meet the criteria.
Here is a useful link to the Ministry of Health website if you, or any staff, have been contacted to say you are a close contact.
Water New Zealand Conference and Expo - we're good to go
Our key annual event - the Water New Zealand Conference and Expo gets underway next week and you can still register to attend!
You may know that due to COVID-19, we're now going online for Part One (Weds 23 Feb - Friday 4 March). The Department of Internal Affairs/Taumata Arowai pre-conference workshop will be held online on Tuesday 22 February.
There'll be plenty of opportunities to participate in discussions, watch and learn from presentations and find out about latest products and services by visiting exhibition sites online. And we want to hear from you - we'll still be gathering images, photos and comments to share on our website and media pages so please send us a pic of you, whether you're with a group of colleagues, or at home with your cat, we'd love to see you.
A reminder that Taumata Arowai are currently consulting on seven proposed documents that relate to their role under the Water Services Act 2021.
The documents are targeted at drinking water suppliers and contain technical content that will guide the way drinking water is supplied safely to people in Aotearoa New Zealand. They are:
• Drinking Water Standards • Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules • Drinking Water Aesthetic Values • Drinking Water Acceptable Solution for Roof Water Supplies • Drinking Water Acceptable Solution for Spring and Bore Water Supplies • Drinking Water Acceptable Solution for Rural Agricultural Water Supplies • Drinking Water Network Environmental Performance Measures.
If you have expertise and knowledge you would like to share with younger or less experienced sector water professionals, we'd love to hear from you. Likewise if you could benefit from being mentored by one of our more experienced members, you can also get in touch with us.
We're running three month mentoring programmes so that experienced water professionals can share their expertise and younger professionals get the opportunity for further help and support.
If you would like more information on the programme please contact Mumtaz Parker at training@waternz.org.nz
One of our favourite tasks at Water New Zealand is to go through the fantastic range of photos we see each year in our annual photo competition.
As we are all about the three waters, we particularly love seeing photos of projects and people working in the sector. We try to use as many of the photo competition entries as we can in our publications throughout the year.
The competition will be open until 31 March but get in early and send your best photos to us at enquiries@waternz.org.nz . The winner is decided by online voting and will receive a free registration to the Water New Zealand Conference & Expo 2022 including the Gala Dinner, valued at $1700m, or if you prefer, you can go to the Stormwater Conference and Expo.
Water New Zealand Competency Framework - Small Water Suppliers
This is the draft Water New Zealand Small Water Suppliers Competency Framework. Small Water Suppliers own, manage and operate small scale drinking water supplies. They take source water, treat it and distribute it to a population of between 50 to 500 people and fulfil a crucial role in ensuring that New Zealand communities, particularly in rural areas, are supplied with safe and sufficient water.
If you are keen to provide feedback, please use this link
When providing feedback, please note that there are certain sections that are not applicable to very small suppliers (who supply under 50 people). Although the document is quite large, once finalised, it will be presented in sections with an "at-a-glance" user-friendly guide.
Feedback closes on the 28 February 2022.
Improving the protection of drinking-water sources
The Government is proposing changes to the National Environmental Standard for Sources of Human Drinking Water (NES-DW) to strengthen its ability to protect drinking water sources: In particular, it's looking at three key areas: standardising the way source water areas are defined, strengthening regulation of activities around water sources, and including more water suppliers under the NES-DW.As part of the consultation process, the Government has produced a series of questions with an opportunity for public comment on the changes by 6 March.
Water New Zealand will be making a submission on the proposed changes. If you're a member and would like to be involved in our submission please contact Katrina Guy.
Mitigating cyanobacteria
Join a panel of Lutra and Cawthron experts as they talk about cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in water treatment. This third and final episode in the series looks at methods of mitigating cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins.
Groundwater is invisible, but its impact is visible everywhere. Out of sight, under our feet, groundwater is a hidden treasure that enriches our lives.
Almost all of the liquid freshwater in the world is groundwater. As climate change gets worse, groundwater will become more and more critical. We need to work together to sustainably manage this precious resource. Groundwater may be out of sight, but it must not be out of mind.
How can the world provide high-quality water in a future filled with uncertainty? That is the question at the heart of a new €10 million research project being led by four prominent professors.
High levels of manganese confirmed as main culprit of Timaru's water discolouration
Algae that was initially thought to be the main cause of Timaru’s drinking water discolouration woes has now been ruled out as the lead culprit with high levels of manganese taking the blame.
Due to the uncertainty of the current COVID-19 situation in New Zealand, we have made the difficult decision to turn the 2022 symposium into a fully virtual event.
However, along with a price reduction, we will still bring you all the presentations, discussions and even social events that make this a compelling symposium for modellers. That means that if you weren't able to make it to the in-person event, we hope you can join us online.
Stormwater Conference & Expo 2022 is at the new Te Pae Convention Centre in Ōtautahi Christchurch.
This will be a great opportunity to discuss leading issues, connect with industry leaders and stakeholders, and inspire positive change across all forms of stormwater management.
Due to popular demand, we have increased the number of exhibition booths. If you are a member and are interested in exhibiting, go to the exhibition page of the website.
Cultural Significance and Importance of Wai Module
8 March | 9 am - 12 pm
Online
This popular module is designed to help you deepen your collective understanding of connections and interdependencies of wai (water) through a Te Ao Māori lens. Initially this course was to begin with a three hour face to face introduction in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington. But due to COVID-19, it will now be fully online.
If you're a member, you're invited to join us live for our second coffee catch-up for 2022. These quick and informal online catch ups are a great way to keep up to date with issues, what we're up to, and to ask any questions. Please note that due to our conference being held in the first week in March, this has been moved from its original scheduled date.
This is the latest in our digital badge series. Like Drinking Water 101 and Wastewater 101, it is a 4-6 hour course running over a four week period that you can do at times that suit you. It is designed to assist you with a basic understanding of stormwater and the people and processes involved.
This is a fully online course and designed to assist you with a basic understanding of wastewater and the components relating to wastewater disposal and the impact on communities and the environment.
This is a 4-6 hour course running over a four week period at times that suit you between 28 February – 28 March.
The course is designed to assist you with a basic understanding of drinking water and all the people and processes involved prior to it reaching your tap.
Perspectives, Approaches & Tools for change makers to accelerate real Climate Action for Aotearoa New Zealand
Emily Afoa will host this discussion on multiple perspectives, approaches, tools available for us in Aotearoa New Zealand to create real climate action in the water sector. Our open panel will discuss their insights and reflections, examples, challenges and learning opportunities from the multiple projects they have been involved with to date.
Expect to be informed, inspired and to challenge your next level of action!
Taumata Arowai is currently consulting on documents which relate to their regulatory role under the Water Services Act 2021. Your views are important and we encourage you to have your say
The Three Waters reforms are a once in a generational change. Would you like to use your in-depth water industry knowledge and experience to work with the team at Water New Zealand?
The Water New Zealand team works across a broad suite of issues facing the water sector, and we are interested in applicants who would like to contribute to policy development, write submissions, provide technical support to Water New Zealand Special Interest Groups, provide subject matter expertise support for our digital badges and have project management experience.
We are open to a range of options - secondment, fixed term, part time and flexible working arrangements.
If you are interested in making a positive difference and supporting “ka ora te wai, ka ora te whenua, ka ora ngā tāngata If the water is healthy, the land is healthy, the people are healthy”, please contact Water New Zealand chief executive Gillian Blythe, email Gillian.blythe@waternz.org.nz.
Otago Regional Council
Engineering Analyst
If you’re looking for job interest and challenge and would enjoy the outdoors lifestyle that goes hand-in-hand with the Otago environment of rugged coastlines, spectacular mountains, rivers and alpine lakes, this position could be right for you.
As a Process Engineer, you will be responsible for providing engineering support and process advice to optimize the process reliability for the Water and Wastewater Treatment Plants managed by the Network Management Group.
Calling all water treatment gurus! We are on the lookout for a Treatment Plants Maintenance Manager to join the Three Waters team at the Palmerston North City Council.
Do you have an eye for detail and a passion for helping to protect people and places? Our Water Services Team is seeking a Compliance Analyst to assist us in ensuring the services we deliver to the community meet all health legislation and environmental consenting requirements.
If you bring skills in three-waters engineering design, project and contract management, and enjoy leading others and want to make a difference for your community, then this position could be a good fit.
This role is responsible for the upgrade, maintenance and operation of plant and machinery in Antarctica, by working through set maintenance and upgrade programmes and providing support to visiting events along with ad hoc work requests.
Whether you’re at the top of your game or ready to make that step up, this Council’s ‘3 Waters’ Strategy, with its focus on sustainably managing the city’s water, waste water and storm water for the next 40 plus years, offers some of the best projects around.
