Waikato River Authority board members and kaimahi recently visited Watercare’s Waikato Water Treatment Plant near Tuakau to learn more about how water drawn from the Waikato River is treated before being supplied to communities across the wider Auckland region.
The Watercare team welcomed our Board members, Kaihautū and kaimahi to the Hayward Road site and guided us through the plant and its water intake infrastructure on the banks of the awa. The site also includes the newer Waikato 50 water treatment plant, which pumps and purifies water before it is pumped north through the Waikato to Auckland pipeline.
The visit provided an insight into the complex processes involved in treating river water and delivering safe, high-quality drinking water to Auckland communities.
With Auckland’s population continuing to grow, alongside increasing demand for water and the impacts of a changing climate, there is a collective responsibility to ensure our waterways, ecosystems and communities are supported now and into the future.
Watercare’s focus on sustainability, engagement with mana whenua and kaitiakitanga reflects the importance of caring for wai as a taonga and recognising the interconnected relationship between water, people and the environment.
For the Waikato River Authority, opportunities such as this help strengthen our relationship with Watercare and create space to share knowledge and perspectives about the future of our awa and the role we all have in protecting its health and wellbeing.
Our visit reinforced the importance of working together to uphold the vision of Te Ture Whaimana and ensure the Waikato and Waipā rivers remain healthy and thriving for generations to come.
