We designed and developed and, for its first season, managed the operation of Auckland’s multi award-winning Safeswim platform. We combined cutting edge modelling and data-visualisation, common-sense science and state-of-the-art sensor tech, added drones and digital signs and built a multi-party partnership across agencies to provide Auckland’s beach users with a world leading one-stop-shop for real time information on water quality and beach swimming conditions.

In seven months, from February to October 2017 we completely redesigned, rebuilt and relaunched Auckland Council’s beach water quality monitoring and reporting system. This required us to build and manage a multi-party virtual team and framework for management/oversight that brought together representatives from across Council departments, Council Controlled Organisations and other public agencies, and included a broad range of private sector technical experts. 

Importantly, we reached out to and built a relationship with Surf Life Saving Northern Region – for the first time integrating public advice and messaging on swimming conditions and water quality. 

The Safeswim programme has collected a succession of international and national awards for its innovative design and effective integration of environmental science, continuous monitoring, contaminant modelling, data warehousing and web and digital sign-based communications platforms to radically improve the accuracy and effectiveness of Auckland’s beach and water quality management systems.

Safeswim 

The He Waka Eke Noa Partnership was formed to develop an alternative system to the NZETS for agricultural emissions. As the deadlines for policy direction loomed, the partnership asked us to come on board during a period of structural transition and strategic change. Our task was to help reorient the policy programme in short order, and to provide expert input to workstreams focussed on 'pricing' and 'sequestration'. 

He Waka Eke Noa 

We decoded the framework officials would use to evaluate a proposal for R&D funding, prepared presentation material that anticipated official’s questions, developed content that aligned with government’s objectives and helped ensure the funding pitch was delivered in a style and in language that resonated with public sector decision-makers.

We helped Leaft Foods – an early-stage agri-tech startup – translate their concept and technical information into a proposal for Government funding to support their R&D programme. We decoded the framework officials would use to evaluate the Leaft Foods proposal, prepared presentation material that anticipated official’s questions, developed content that aligned with government’s objectives and helped ensure the funding pitch was delivered in a style and in language that resonated with public sector decision-makers. Ultimately, our support ensured that Leaft Foods was able to submit a crisp, cogent and compelling pitch for funding to Government within a very short timeframe.

Agritech R&D

We were asked to assist the Ministry for the Environment lift its understanding of the food system in New Zealand, to help it contribute to cross government policy work in this area. 

Food Systems Analysis 

We provided ecology advice to inform a water management strategy for Northland – a region with chronic water shortage issues. Investigative work funded by central government was undertaken to identify suitable locations for water storage reservoirs and we provided advice to ensure ecological issues were appropriately considered and managed throughout the project, from concept to construction. 

The project was granted consent through the new 'fast-track' process and the decision emphasised the high-quality of the ecological assessment. 

Northland water  

We are providing freshwater scientific advice in relation to the current and future operations of the Wairakei Geothermal Power Plant. Dating from the 1950s, it is one of the oldest geothermal power developments in the world and Contact Energy plan to substantially modernise the way it generates electricity at the site. This will result in a significant change in how the plant interacts with the Waikato River, leading to meaningful improvements in the health of the awa.

Geofuture 

Ministry for the Environment 

We synthesised a year’s discussions and analysis and translated highly technical and detailed science and analysis into crisp, readable drafts – then we helped the Chairman resolve differences of opinion, capture alternative perspectives and gain the group’s endorsement of the final report.

The Chair of the Minister’s STAG asked us to attend the final few meetings of the group to help synthesise the previous year’s discussions and analysis, and to help translate its highly technical and detailed work into a crisp report with a clear narrative and recommendations that were easy to understand. The Minister extended the scope of the STAG’s engagement and asked it to provide comment in response to additional questions – we were invited back to support this second cycle of work and to crystallise the scientific points of difference that remained between members of the group. As the outputs of the STAG’s process were integrated with the outputs from other advisory groups we were asked to provide similar synthesis, translation and writing support to the Minister’s Independent Advisory Group as it responded to public submissions on its recommendations to the Minister.dditional questions – we were invited back to support this second cycle of work and to crystallise the scientific points of difference that remained between members of the group. As the outputs of the STAG’s process were integrated with the outputs from other advisory groups we were asked to provide similar synthesis, translation and writing support to the Minister’s Independent Advisory Group as it responded to public submissions on its recommendations to the Minister.

Science and Technical Advisory Group

We refocused the strategy for obtaining funding to remediate human impacts on the harbour – shifting it from a focus on agency-led sediment-reduction to a partnership between landowners, iwi and agencies aiming to return the harbour to a state of health.

Auckland Council’s Treaty Negotiations Manager contacted us early on in this project seeking advice on how to develop a restoration plan, as a key input to the resolution of grievances between Kaipara Uri, the Crown and Auckland Council as an agent of the Crown. 

We drew on similar examples from around New Zealand and developed a framework for understanding the context and identifying opportunities and risks associated with different options. 

We played a lead role in developing a strategic approach that emphasised the importance of multi-party commitment to a long term vision, collaboration across agencies and between iwi, public and private sector agencies and landowners – focused on the outcome of returning the harbour and it’s communities to a state of health and prosperity rather than relying on regulatory direction alone.

Kaipara Moana - remediation programme 

We were engaged by the Auckland Council to help them create a strategic framework for managing Auckland’s Waters. The team asked us to challenge and critique their work, and to provide expert input in the areas of freshwater science and policy design.

Water strategy for Auckland

Deep South Challenge Strategic Communications

We were asked to interpret the Government’s proposals for freshwater reform, explain their implications for Auckland Council’s Stormwater Department, and support the department to provide technical material for the council’s submission to government.

Implications of water reforms for Auckland

We were approached by a community leader to help develop a coordinating catchment-wide initiative based on the concept of collective impact. We worked with people from across the community to crystallise their vision, develop a delivery structure and decision-making processes, estimate the costs and benefits associated with its establishment and operation, and develop a business case for funding to support its creation.

Wairarapa - Puhaha to Palliser

Faecal Indicator Bacteria (FIB) that include 

 and enterococci are frequently used to assess water quality at beaches because they indicate faecal combination and increases health risk. However, they occur in the intestines of most warm blooded animals, so when they are detected in water, the source could be a wide range of animals. Effective management of faecal contamination requires knowledge about the source animal and a range of DNA-based techniques have been developed to provide this information (collectively called Microbial Source Tracking (MST). PSL were commissioned by Auckland Council to investigate and compare the performance of options available for MST testing in New Zealand. This work weas delivered in collaboration with Professor Colin Fricker and informed the methods used to identify faecal contamination in the Safeswim (

Microbial Source Tracking 

Integrating the mauri of waterways into freshwater management is an issue that New Zealand has been trying to address for many years, which among other things has seen the inclusion of ‘Te Mana o te Wai’ as a fundamental concept in the NPSFM. Gisborne District Council have been working with local Maori and science providers to develop the ‘Mauri Compass’ tool that provides a way to assess and incorporate mauri into the Council’s decision making processes about water management. PSL were commissioned by GDC to review the methodology and functionality of the Mauri Compass tool as part of its development.

https://www.mauricompass.com/gisborne-herald-article.html

Gisborne Distgrict Council Mauri Compass

Following the publication of the Vision and Strategy for the Waikato River, Waikato Regional Council initiated a plan change process (PC1) to begin the implementation of the Strategy. PSL were commissioned to provide freshwater scientific support during the PC1 process, including an assessment of point source discharges to the Waikato River and the potential role of offsetting in relation to water quality management. Martin subsequently presented evidence to hearing panel (

https://www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/assets/WRC/Council/Policy-and-Plans/HR/Block2/Fonterra-Martin-Neale-Freshwater-Science-Evidence.pdf

Fonterra - Waikato PC1 

Following the enactment of the Environmental Reporting Act (2015), the Ministry for the Environment commissioned technical advice on potential freshwater indicators to act as ‘impact’ measures. Most freshwater indicators collected as part of monitoring programmes are ‘state’ indicators and this project provided review and recommendations of potential ‘impact’ indicators for environmental reporting. PSL were contracted by the lead consultant (NIWA) to provide expert input about macroinvertebrate indicators.

Final report is available on the MFE website - https://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/fresh-water/scoping-indicators-impacts-freshwater-biodiversity-and-ecosystem-processes

NIWA Freshwater indicators 

The Messenger bypass is a project designed to provide safer and more efficient road transport on SH3 in Taranaki. The bypass is a new 6km route from Uruti to Ahititi that avoids the existing steep, narrow and winding route over Mt Messenger on State Highway 3 (

https://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/awakino-gorge-to-mt-messenger-programme/mt-messenger/

). PSL were commissioned by the New Zealand Transport Agency to peer-review the freshwater ecology assessments and proposed effects management package that was challenged by some stakeholders. We generally supported the freshwater ecology work undertaken, but made a number of suggested improvements. Martin subsequently gave evidence at the hearing on behalf of NZTA (

https://www.newplymouthnz.com/Council/Have-Your-Say/Consultations-and-Surveys/Recently-Closed-Consultations/Mt-Messenger-Bypass

Mount Messenger bypass

Following the inclusion of macroinvertebrates in the NPSFM, work has been commissioned by the Ministry for the Environment to develop appropriate tools and measures to support the assessment of river health using macroinvertebrates. PSL have been commissioned to progress the development of a predictive model for macroinvertebrate reference condition. This model builds on similar models developed to support macroinvertebrate monitoring in several countries around the world (e.g. RIVPACS, AUSRIVAS) and was the topic of Martin’s PhD (

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/aqc.858

). As macroinvertebrate communities in rivers vary because of natural factors and human impacts, comparing monitoring results amongst rivers is challenging. A reference condition model allows the natural variability to accounted for, which gives a more reliable measure of potential human impacts on river ecology.

https://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/fresh-water/macroinvertebrate-metrics-national-policy-statement-freshwater-management

https://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/fresh-water/predicting-stream-macroinvertebrate-reference-conditions-using-multivariate

Projects

Safeswim

He Waka Eke Noa

Agritech R&D