Hawkes Bay Lakes may benefit from Environment Fund

The Ministry for the Environment today announced that two critical enhancement projects for degraded lakes in Hawke’s Bay are being considered for significant funding grants.

Lake Tūtira north of Napier and Wairoa’s Lake Whakakī are both gaining further consideration for funding from MfE’s Freshwater Improvement Fund, in addition to the Council’s Annual Plan ‘hot spot’ funding.

“This is a positive signal, and a step toward much better water quality,” says Resource Management Group Manager Iain Maxwell.

Both projects have strong community and stakeholder support.

“Much of the work needed to be done for these applications was at extremely short notice – a big thank you to all involved so far,” adds Mr Maxwell.

Next stage consideration means working closely with the team at MfE on a detailed work programme, an annual plan and completing a number of project and coordination tasks. It is expected to be around three to six months before the funding is formally secured.

This good news comes to two of the Regional Council’s four applications to the Freshwater Improvement Fund.

Lake Tūtira project name: Te Waiū o Tūtira (the milk of Tūtira) – This is a joint project between Hawke's Bay Regional Council and Maungaharuru-Tangitū Trust. The total project cost is $3.5 million over five years. $1.5 million has been applied for from MfE’s FIF fund.

Lake Whakakī project name: Sunshine, wetlands and bees to revitalise the taonga of Whakaki – This is a joint project between Hawke's Bay Regional Council and Whakaki Lakes Trust. The total project cost is $2.8 million over five years. $1.3 million has been applied for from MfE’s FIF fund.

Funding applications for the Ahuriri Estuary and the Tukituki catchment were unsuccessful.

11 August 2017

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