Milestones

[administrator]

Hi. This is the MILESTONES forum page
As agreed at the consultation meeting, proposed milestones/thoughts from consultees were due back 8/3/10. Please enter last minute thoughts here.

[Andrew]

Hi, I am thinking that there needs to be some quite tangible milestones that show progress is being made. Reduction in phosphorus discharged to the stream has been suggested. While that seems to be the parameter that causes the most significant environmental effect, I am wondering whether a reduction in the volume discharged to the stream would be better.
Reasons:
1) Ultimately if the intention is to remove the discharge from the stream then this is the measure that should indicate progress.
2) A reduction in the discharge starts moving along the track of addressing cultural as well as environmental issues
3) A reduction in the discharge should also result in a reduction in phosphorus being disharged

I am reluctant to suggest a figure because I believe that any interim measures should be practical and achievable. I need more information to make an informed suggestion on what is achievable. So would welcome more discussion at the next meeting and feedback from Andy and Stu. In the mean time as a starting point for discussion if the intention is to remove the discharge by 2030 (20yrs time) this is a 5% reduction per year on average. So for 5 years this would be a 25% reduction. How about making a 10% reduction by 5 years a milestone. More if easily achievable. This level should hopefully mean that the Council is not pushed into adopting a method to reduce the discharge that turns into a deadend.

The method of achieving the target is entirely open to whatever is most efficient be it irrigation to land, reduction in infiltration/inflow, reducing water use in Carterton etc as discussed at the last meeting. That will do for a first post, all open to feedback and comment.

Andrew

[Ian]

im happy with the approach suggested by andrew