New Zealand launches water quality info site

People living in New Zealand now have access to more information on what is happening with the country's waterways thanks to a new website that has now been launched. 

The site has been designed as an easily-accessible tool for those that want to know of any issues that could be affecting their local waterways. It could help to inform residents of any water pollution issues that might impact them and their local communities.

The Land, Air, Water Aotearoa (LAWA) website has been created by the Cawthron Institute, New Zealand's largest independent science organisation. It will provide information that is gathered from different councils throughout the country, making it easy to access and understand, as well as putting all the information in one place.

The current site is the first stage of a long-term project, which will start by focusing on the country's rivers. Trend and state data will be available on the site from over 1,100 sites that monitor freshwater rivers.

Roger Young, freshwater scientist from the Cawthron Institute, said: “Good information is key to good decision making and this new website is a great tool to help communities understand what’s happening in their rivers and get more involved in caring for them."

All of New Zealand's 16 unitary and regional councils have collaborated on the LAWA website, along with Massey University, the Cawthorne Institute and the Ministry for the Environment. Support has also been provided on its development by the Tindall Foundation. 

Scientists from Cawthron have been pivotal to the project, providing information on the best ways to develop the site and its content, as well as helping with validating the way that data is collected, processed and analysed.

Cawthron Institute chief executive, Professor Charles eason, said: “We’re excited to partner with regional councils and the Ministry in what we see as a truly innovative project bringing complex science into an easily accessible and understandable format.

“Many people can so often be put off by overly complex scientific information but we believe LAWA has simplified the science and allows everyone to connect with what’s going on in their river. This is a fantastic initiative for New Zealanders and we applaud all those involved.”