Why partnership with iwi matters
Water does not begin or end at district boundaries. Rivers, streams, aquifers, wetlands, and coastlines connect communities across the region and across generations.
Iwi and hapū hold longstanding relationships with these places, with deep mātauranga (knowledge) and responsibilities as kaitiaki (guardians). Strong partnerships help ensure decisions about water services reflect both technical expertise and the values of place, people and environment.
Good water management is not only about today's needs. It is about leaving strong systems, healthy waterways, and trusted relationships for those who come after us. That is the spirit we bring to our partnerships.
Our commitment
We are committed to building genuine and practical partnerships with iwi across the Waikato region. This includes:
- early and meaningful engagement
- respectful relationships and ongoing dialogue
- recognising Te Tiriti o Waitangi responsibilities
- supporting shared understanding and informed decision-making
- integrating mātauranga Māori where appropriate
- protecting the long-term health of wai and the environment.
Partnership is not a one-off conversation. It is an ongoing way of working.
Working together
As our organisation develops, iwi partnerships will help shape how we operate, plan, and invest for the future. This may include collaboration in strategic planning, environmental outcomes, source water protection, cultural values and place-based knowledge, governance participation, long-term infrastructure thinking and community wellbeing outcomes.
We know every relationship is unique, and approaches will reflect local context.
We are guided by our kaupapa – Te Mana o Te Wai, Te Mana o Te Tangata. Healthy Water, Healthy People. This recognises that the wellbeing of water comes first, and that healthy water supports healthy communities. It reflects a shared responsibility to care for essential resources with humility, responsibility, and foresight.
Te ao Māori and the importance of wai
In te ao Māori, wai is a living entity with its own mauri, mana, and whakapapa. It is not simply a resource to be managed, but a taonga that connects people to the whenua (land), their ancestors, and the natural world.
The wellbeing of wai and the wellbeing of people are inseparable. Healthy waterways sustain healthy communities, while degraded waterways diminish the mauri of both the environment and those connected to it.
This understanding sits at the heart of kaitiakitanga and the responsibility to care for wai for future generations.
The aspiration of awa koiora reflects the vision of waterways that are healthy, thriving, and able to sustain life in all its forms. By protecting and restoring the mauri of our waterways, we strengthen the wellbeing of our people, our environment, and future generations.
Ko te wai te toto o the whenua, ko te whenua te toto o te tangata.
Water is the blood of the land. And the land is the blood of the people.