Protecting Lake Taupo

Lake Taupo is one of New Zealand's national treasures.  However scientific evidence shows that its health is declining due to the amount of nitrogen reaching the lake from rural land, urban sources and septic tank seepage.  To just maintain the lake's current water quality, we need to reduce the amount of nitrogen reaching the lake by 20 per cent.

A total of $81.5 million dollars has been allocated over the next fourteen years to reduce manageable nitrogen levels into Lake Taupo and avoid further significant deterioration in lake water quality. The Government will fund 45% of that amount with Taupo District Council and Environment Waikato collecting the remainder on an annual basis until 2018.

A charitable trust - known as the Lake Taupo Protection Trust - has been set up to manage the joint public fund.  The Trust has been established as a Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) and a joint inter-agency committee made up of representatives from Council, Environment Waikato, Central Government and Ngati Tuwharetoa, manage and monitor the work of the Trust. 

For more information click here.