‘Wai Connection – Tatai Ki Te Wai’ is our catchment community engagement project. It’s focused on building capability and capacity to improve our region's waterways. We offer tailored on-the-ground assistance to catchment community groups and mana whenua rōpū to help with catchment issues. Because our support is tailored, it’s also diverse, from science and mātauranga māori research programs, restoration support, connection to experts, to events, workshops and more.
This is a national project through the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust, funded through the Ministry for the Environment's Essential Freshwater work program. Mountains to Sea Wellington deliver this in Te Upoko o Te Ika a Māui, the Greater Wellington Region. While only funded to June 2025, we recognise our mahi is a part of intergenerational kaupapa and we are providing support to help progress action.
To best provide this support we’re collaborating with partners across the region. This includes hapū and iwi taiao rōpū, regional and district council, central government agencies, catchment collectives, NGO’s and primary industry bodies working within the catchment. We’re working together to help deliver the goals of the Government’s Essential Freshwater (EF) work package. Essential Freshwater is the package name for the direction the Government is taking to protect & improve freshwater quality & ecosystem health in rivers, streams, lakes, & wetlands across Aotearoa. The EF package has been developed to deal with the substantial challenges facing our waterways.
Te Mana o Te Wai is the foundation of the mahi. It recognises the fundamental importance of water, its mauri, and that protecting the health of freshwater protects the health and well-being of the wider environment. Te Mana o te Wai is about restoring and preserving the balance between the water, the wider environment, and the community.
For more information and resources check out the national website www.waiconnection.nz
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