Waitiaki

About Us

2026 marks six years since Waikato Regional Council transferred the water quality monitoring functions of the Taupō Moana catchment to the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board under Section 33 of the Resource Management Act. This kaupapa, now known as Waitiaki, upholds these responsibilities through the ongoing monitoring of 13 rivers (awa) each month, 52 groundwater bores quarterly, and bathing beaches over summer.

Over the past two years, Waitiaki has continued to evolve, weaving mātauranga Māori alongside Western science and deepening the involvement of hapū and marae across the rohe. A key milestone was the creation and launch of the Waitiaki Tohu Taiao Journal, a hands-on learning resource designed to build whānau capability in freshwater monitoring (including SHMAK use, data interpretation, and tohu taiao observation).

Waitiaki workshops have been delivered to many marae and kura groups, empowering hapū and rangatahi to monitor their own wai and recognise local tohu taiao.

Looking ahead, Waitiaki will continue to support whānau and hapū in building capability within the wai māori space, ensuring the protection, understanding, and restoration of our waters remain led by Tūwharetoa, for Tūwharetoa.