News from the Greater Wellington Regional Council gw.govt.nz

Contact your Kapiti water quality report card out regional councillor

KAPITI COAST A recently released Is it safe to good water quality,” she says. sites in Kapiti this year.” into water,” Ms Greenfield says. Nigel Wilson swim? report card for Kapiti shows “The best beach sites were Te Horo, Paraparaumu and GWRC’s Environmental 021 284 3339 that water quality in the area was at Otaki, Peka Peka, Waikanae Raumati beach sites were graded Protection Team responded to [email protected] generally good last summer, but and Paekakariki. These all had C meaning there’s a moderate risk seven notifications of discharges LOWER HUTT that there is room for improvement. B grades meaning there is of becoming ill after swimming. affecting water in Kapiti, but Sandra Greig GWRC Senior Environmental low risk of becoming ill from High bacteria counts generally only no breaches were found. The T 04 586 0847, 027 640 8681 Scientist for Aquatic Ecosystems and swimming in the water. occurred after heavy rain at these notifications involved commercial [email protected] Quality, Summer Greenfield, says in “The best river site was Otaki sites with contamination caused premises, sewer systems, industrial Ken Laban the Kapiti area only six of the 345 processes and earthworks. River at Pots, which had an A grade. by runoff from rural land use at T 04 971 8982, 029 200 0044 samples (2%) taken last summer Otaki River at State Highway One, Te Horo and urban stormwater Kapiti’s Is it safe to swim? report [email protected] did not meet national guidelines and Waikanae River at SH1 and at Paraparaumu and Raumati. card can be viewed at gw.govt. for safe swimming and these Jim Cooke Park all had B grades. “At these sites it’s really important nz/annual-monitoring-reports Prue Lamason T 04 566 7283, 021 858 964 mostly followed heavy rainfall. “There were no problems to wait two days after heavy rain [email protected] “Most of the swimming spots with cyanobacteria (toxic algae) before swimming because rain We can all do our part to keep our we monitor in Kapiti had pretty at any of the monitored river flushes contaminants from the land water clean. Find out how you can PORIRUA-TAWA help reduce pollutants entering Jenny Brash T 04 233 8217, 027 354 4233 our waters at gw.govt.nz/keep- [email protected] the-region-s-water-clean/ Barbara Donaldson GWRC also contributes T 04 237 0773, 021 976 747 information about water quality [email protected] to Land Air Water Aotearoa, a UPPER HUTT local government initiative to help Paul Swain local communities find the balance T 04 528 7830, 021 270 9113 between using natural resources [email protected] and maintaining their quality and WAIRARAPA availability. Find out more at Gary McPhee A group of waders at Paekakariki Beach lawa.org.nz T 06 372 7020, 027 457 5363 [email protected] WELLINGTON Judith Aitken WATER QUALITY SURVEY WINNERS ANNOUNCED 027 769 6424 [email protected] There was a great response to GWRC’s harbours, coast and rivers survey with almost 450 entries. The winner of the 3SIXT HD Sports Action Camera is Jamie Hill, and Julie Anderson Paul Bruce T 04 972 8699, 021 027 19370 wins the iPod Shuffle 2GB and Moshi Double Bassburger Pocket Speaker. [email protected]

Sue Kedgley T 04 384 9123, 021 270 9088 New name gives cycleway identity [email protected] The new Queen Elizabeth cycleway Toa Rangätira, Te Ätiawa ki throughout the park for hundreds Chris Laidlaw has an official name, and it is the Te Whakarongotai and Ngäti Haumia, of years and there were major T 04 934 3143, 027 425 4668 Ara o Whareroa cycleway. the three iwi involved in developing settlements at Wainui and [email protected] During an average day, GWRC Te Ara can be interpreted literally and gifting the name. Whareroa up until the mid-1800s. supplies 145 million litres of Fran Wilde, Chair as a way, path, lane, passageway, “We are really happy with the “Although the land was T 04 830 4246, F 04 384 5023 drinking water around the region track, course or route, and name,” Mr Wilson says. “It’s familiar covered in forest, the numerous 021 888 075 whareroa can mean long house. enough to bond with the park’s waterways within it were deep [email protected] The complete name could mean current identity but the addition enough for canoes to be paddled “pathway in the vicinity of the long of way or route adds in the idea of from Paekakariki to Waikanae,” house”, which in turn complements going somewhere, of exploring or Mr Wilson says. “Hundreds of the Whareroa pa site at the mouth journeying.“ years later we’re using Te Ara o Share a ride – and be in to win of the Whareroa Stream. The new name fits well with the Whareroa to re-establish some GWRC councillor Nigel Wilson rich history of Maori settlement of those links, though this time If you’re keen to save money, be expressed his gratitude to Ngäti in the area. Maori have lived through pedalling rather than a little kinder to the environment paddling.” and meet some new people, then let’s carpool. Matangi trains arrive Let’s Carpool is a free, secure website that finds carpooling Smooth travel – an 8-car Matangi matches for you. Simply register train on the Kapiti Coast and fill in a few details about where and when you want to carpool. You’ll be emailed with a list of possible matches – and you’re away. Register for Let’s Carpool this month and go in the draw to win some fabulous prizes including petrol vouchers from Z Energy and movie passes. The first pair of two-car units from “This is the final step on the letscarpool.govt.nz Wellington’s new batch of Matangi way to having the single, modern, trains arrived by boat from Korea electric train fleet the region’s late last month. commuters deserve,” she says. The two-car units are the first of “It will be a good day for Kapiti Bad to burn 35 pairs made by Hyundai that will commuters when we’ve got the arrive in stages by the middle of new fleet fully in place. From People lighting their fires this winter are being Only burn natural wood that has been dried for at next year. that day on every journey will be encouraged to think about what they are least six months. Properly dried wood is darker, has GWRC Chair Fran Wilde says Kapiti a smooth and comfortable one burning. cracks in the end grain, and sounds hollow when residents have overwhelmingly and I’m sure people will continue Some things are just plain bad to burn so this smacked against another piece of wood. showed they prefer the new units flocking to trains as a result.” winter check that you only put the right stuff in More information on what is safe to burn is to the old Ganz Mavag units with The remaining Ganz Mavag units your fire place, log burner, incinerator, or farm available at gw.govt.nz/air-quality rail patronage steadily increasing will be phased out as the new trains fire and make sure the smoke from your garden Call the Environmental Hotline 0800 496 734 if you since the first batch began arriving arrive and are commissioned. fire or barbeque is not a nuisance to others. see ‘bad burning’ happening in your neighbourhood. in 2010.