Adopt a Drain – Spring 2025
Welcome to our ‘Adopt a Drain’ Spring Newsletter
Spring into cleaner waterways and healthier journeys! Across Aotearoa, communities are embracing active transport – walking and cycling – as a dual win for people and freshwater! From bike paths designed to soak up rainwater, to green corridors that naturally filter pollutants, there’s inspiration everywhere to help us get around the active way. Check out Stats NZ for their visualisation which shows where people are travelling to and from for work and education, how they travel, and how trends have changed between censuses.
From tyres to tributaries – every kilometre of road carries runoff that can pollute rivers with heavy metals and hydrocarbons. NIWA has completed a study to measure how much copper and zinc is discharged in road runoff, and how well different stormwater devices remove these contaminants from runoff. This is important because heavy metals in high concentrations can be toxic to aquatic life. They can accumulate in sediments and living organisms (Boehler et al, 2017).
Shared trails that treat and protect waterways are a great alternative. Check out these awesome projects in Auckland that showcase how stormwater treatment wetlands, riparian planting, and shared pathways.
SPRING PLEDGE
Choose movement over motors!
In Wānaka and Southern Lakes communities, active transport momentum is building. New paths not only open access for walking and riding, but they also incorporate resilient designs, like buffers, channels or wetlands. Right here in Wānaka, there has been awesome support for active transport. Check out Wao’s Ride for Change Impact Report 2025 and get out onto the Schools to Pools route.
Enjoy some spring sunshine, the blossoms, and wind in your hair and get outside this spring. Feel good and reduce vehicle pollutants heading into our freshwater.
We’d love to see a before and after photo and any details regarding the debris you’ve found. Click here to add your photos and any comments.
SPOTLIGHT
Wao Summit Walking Tour
The Wao Walking Tour: Journey to 2125 invites the community to step into the future of Wānaka through an inspiring self-guided walk that highlights how regenerative design and green infrastructure can shape a thriving, resilient town. Along the way, participants explore projects that reimagine how we live, move, and build – including innovative approaches to housing, transport, energy, food systems, biodiversity, and stormwater management. More than just a walk, it’s an active transport experience that demonstrates how people and nature can thrive together, offering real-world examples of climate action and local innovation already happening in our community. Keep your eyes peeled for adopted drains along the way!
Cost: This event is FREE to attend but registration is required.
FEELING INSPIRED?
Have you heard of citizen science?
Researchers benefit from the support of community members in so many ways! Involvement from the community allows researchers to collect more data than by themselves, provides unique insights from those who know an area best, and helps translate scientific work into real, actionable change. Read more on our recent blog here.
GAINING MOMENTUM
One neighbourhood at a time
Do you know a business or household in Wānaka, Hāwea or Luggate that might be interested in Adopt a Drain?
Share this webpage and help us to grow this initiative. We encourage anyone interested to fill out our Adopt a Drain sign-up form.
