Drinking Water Assistance Programme - Update
Thu 25 Feb 2010: Drinking Water Assistance Programme - Update
Future funding for the “Drinking Water Assistance Programme", (DWAP), is now looking uncertain under the current Government regime. Despite the fact that this initiative was funded and therefore budgeted for a future of five years, the last funding round was in March of last year 2009. The normal funding rounds of March and September appear to be put on hold. Under the scheme there was funding capital available for “small suppliers”, which included “Marae” and “Kohanga Reo”.
The funding for small suppliers was in effect since 2006. There were 6 monthly funding allocations in March and September. Two of our Marae have benefited from this scheme. Ngāti Pareraukawa and Ngāti Kikopiri have started a new water collection and filtration project. Some of the criteria for successful applicants were: Marae that use water from nearby waterways that are polluted, for example: dairy farm effluent; and Marae that have outdated, degraded water tanks, and pipe systems.
A large number of our Marae are frequently utilised by the wider community including by our local authorities. The scheme recognises that Marae are "small suppliers" of water for the communities they serve. Unfortunately, quite a few Marae have missed out and their application process cut short.
The scheme was an initiative from the Ministry of Health, specifically - “Public Health”. For any queries regarding the status of this scheme, “Drinking Water Assistance Programme”(DWAP), Facilitators can still be contacted. For the Manawatū – Rangitīkei region contact:
Murray Lowe
Technical Assistance Programme Facilitator
Taranaki District Health Board
Private Bag 2016
New Plymouth 4310
Phone: 06 7537798
Mobile: 027 274 8193
Email: Murray.Lowe@tdhb.org.nz
For the Horowhenua and Kāpiti Coast regions contact:
Joe Matiaha
Technical Assistance Programme Facilitator
Wairarapa District Health Board
Phone: 06 3705020
Mobile: 027 2097845
Email: Jo.Matiaha@wairarapa.dhb.org.nz
The main thrust for this initiative was for the public to access safer drinking water. However, other benefits include gaining a modern sustainable water system for your Marae, which is also good for our environment.
For information on “criteria” download following pdf: “Drinking Water Assistance Programme” – “Criteria for Capital Assisstance for Small Drinking-water Supplies”
Or go directly to website link by clicking here.
For other information on this scheme go to the following Ministry of Health website link by clicking here.
