Puhinui Stream is New Zealand's 'most improved' river

Thursday, 1 December 2016

The 12-kilometre Puhinui Stream runs through Totara Park in Manurewa to the Manukau Harbour near Auckland International Airport.

Years of hard work is paying off for people devoted to improving south Auckland's natural environment.

The Puhinui Stream was named most improved stream at the recent NZ River Awards, run by the NZ Rivers Trust and the Morgan Foundation.

Back row from left, Manurewa Local Board chairwoman Angela Dalton and deputy chairman Simeon Brown, Auckland Council community ranger Kara Goddard, Wai Care's Andrew Jenks and Kate Loman-Smith. Front row from left, The Gardens School pupils Jorja Lowry, Harman Kaur, Mackenzie Loakman and Shriyant Prasad, with the award won by Puhinui Stream.

Some of those behind the stream's turnaround celebrated at a ceremony alongside the waterway on November 29.

Among those present were staff from Auckland Council environmental organisation Wai Care who have been instrumental in improving its water quality.

Wai Care's Andrew Jenks says most of the restoration work has been carried out since 2003.

'It's been a long journey. So many people have been involved for so long and it's been hard going at times.'

Jenks credits local volunteers such as John Smith, who he says has done a 'phenomenal amount of work', for helping to clean up the stream.

Playing their part also are local schools, community groups, businesses such as Nestle, and the Manukau Beautification Charitable Trust.

The trust led a giant community clean-up of the stream and Otara Creek earlier this year which saw almost 2000 volunteers remove more than six tonnes of rubbish from the two waterways.

Jenks helped to plant 25,000 native plants alongside the stream and says the NZ Transport Agency planted thousands more as part of the State Highway 20 project.

Sediment and cement are two of the stream's biggest problems, as well as overheating, he says.

'A lot of people have been contributing over the years.

'It's been a long haul but it's also been an enjoyable time.

'We look forward to the next page in our adventure in the great outdoors.'

Auckland Council says six years ago the stream was considered the dirtiest of the 31 waterways monitored in the region.

It runs through Totara Park and Auckland Botanic Gardens in Manurewa to Manukau City's urban and light industrial zones, and ends up in the Manukau Harbour near Auckland International Airport.

The stream has been improved by the council retiring 20 hectares of land from grazing to plant the riverbanks and wetlands and community groups eco-sourcing plants to grow alongside it.

The Auckland Botanic Gardens introduced a sustainable 'water trail' to remove sediment and heavy metals from its water.

Pupils at The Gardens School in Manurewa plant along the stream's bank each year, helping to keep the water cool and clear.