Napier City has trouble with stormwater quality. 70% of the water that falls as rain across the city flows to the Ahuriri Estuary.  The remainder 30% of Napier's stormwater discharges to the coast from Awatoto, the Napier CBD, Westshore and Bay View.

Water is a universal solvent. That means that when rain water runs across different surfaces, it easily picks up dirt, paints, oils, loose litter, grass clippings and garden waste, and anything else left outside.  All of these naturally add to the nutrient, metal and bacterial load which negatively impacts on our coast and the health of the Ahuriri Estuary.

2018 was a big year for the Environmental Solutions Team of Napier City Council. This year, our challenge is to spread the message that every property in the city can have an impact.

Stormwater is everyone’s responsibility, but there are a few things you can do to help protect our coast and the Ahuriri Estuary:

• Never put rubbish anywhere other than a rubbish bin.
• If you see loose litter, pick it up to stop it being carried out towards the estuary or ocean.
• If you see something in one of Napier City’s urban streams that shouldn’t be there, let us know by calling (06) 835 7579.
• Even natural dust, dirt, leaves, and grass clippings can dirty the waterways and make it hard for aquatic species to breathe. Never dump garden waste where it can be washed into a stream.
• Never pour anything down an outside drain – it’ll most likely end up in the Ahuriri Estuary.

This month we like our science monitoring team.  Out in all weathers measuring, recording and sampling our Air Quality, Rainfall, River flows, Groundwater level, Recreational water quality, Low flows and Soil moisture. This information goes towards our monthly State of the Environment Report.  You can read the report here.