To mark World Rivers Day, regional councils yesterday released their latest water quality data through a collaborative Land, Air, Water, Aotearoa (Lawa) internet site.
Otago Regional Council chairman Stephen Woodhead, who also chairs the regional sector group of Local Government New Zealand, said lake water quality data from monitored lakes could now also be accessed through the Lawa site.
Regional councils took their stewardship role for freshwater ''very seriously'' and World Rivers Day aimed to raise awareness of the impact people had on ''our freshwater resources''.
The water quality site Lawa, which was launched last year, was a ''world first'' for national water reporting, and aimed to encourage ''good choices'' about the use of rivers and lakes, he said.
