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Resource Management Act 1991

Water conservation orders

199: Purpose of water conservation orders

You could also call this:

“Water conservation orders help protect special waters and the amazing things about them”

Water conservation orders are special rules to protect important water bodies. They have two main purposes. First, they help keep special waters in their natural state. These waters might be beautiful or have other important qualities that make them unique. Second, they protect waters that are no longer natural but still have special features worth protecting.

These orders can do several things to protect water. They can try to keep a water body as close to its natural state as possible if it’s considered outstanding. They can also protect special features of a water body. These features might make it a great home for plants and animals, or a good place for fishing. The water might have beautiful scenery or other natural qualities that are important. It could be valuable for science or have important plant and animal life. The water might also be great for fun activities, have historical importance, or be special for spiritual or cultural reasons.

Lastly, water conservation orders can protect features of a water body that are very important in Māori culture and customs (tikanga Māori).

Remember, these rules are part of a bigger law called the Resource Management Act 1991. They’re designed to look after our water, even if other parts of the law say something different.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM236752.

Topics:
Environment and resources > Conservation
Māori affairs > Treaty of Waitangi
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“The local council must handle a special request if they write a report but don't ask the court to decide.”

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200: Meaning of water conservation order, or

“A water conservation order is a rule that limits how regional councils can use and manage water bodies to protect them.”

Part 9 Water conservation orders

199Purpose of water conservation orders

  1. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Part 2, the purpose of a water conservation order is to recognise and sustain—

  2. outstanding amenity or intrinsic values which are afforded by waters in their natural state:
    1. where waters are no longer in their natural state, the amenity or intrinsic values of those waters which in themselves warrant protection because they are considered outstanding.

      1. A water conservation order may provide for any of the following:

      2. the preservation as far as possible in its natural state of any water body that is considered to be outstanding:
        1. the protection of characteristics which any water body has or contributes to, and which are considered to be outstanding,—
          1. as a habitat for terrestrial or aquatic organisms:
            1. as a fishery:
              1. for its wild, scenic, or other natural characteristics:
                1. for scientific and ecological values:
                  1. for recreational, historical, spiritual, or cultural purposes:
                  2. the protection of characteristics which any water body has or contributes to, and which are considered to be of outstanding significance in accordance with tikanga Maori.