NZ Dairy Winter 2021

108 | nz dairy IRRIGATION NZ » Water Capture & Storage Investment needs to include water capture and storage • from page 106 Any investment in water infrastructure needs to include capture and storage for multipurpose use – drinking water, renewable energy creation, and productive use. “This investment needs to include capture and storage of water for multipurpose use – drinking water, renewable energy creation, and productive use. In most countries overseas, this investment is government driven rather than user driven, and a national approach is needed to ensure we rectify the past mistakes and make strategic decisions for the whole community.” If our rivers are to be working as the veins of our country, the capture of water when flows are high and the repurposing of this water when the flows are low must be ensured. Investment in water capture, storage, and use is past its due date. “Water for stock and grass growth is important and better use of effluent is needed too, but stop- ping all investment in a key resource such as water due to unlikely outcomes has proven to be short sighted and a bit of an own goal for the communi- ties it serves. “Proper conversations about the importance of water capture and storage in areas that need it are now happening with less emotion and more fact – it is great to see and will benefit all. If we want to diversify our land, reduce our carbon footprint, and have multiple uses on the land, water availability from capture and storage is key.”