A local group is showing how community initiatives can play an important role in protecting the health of Lake Wānaka.

Lakeside Road Enhancement Group is a group of neighbours on or near Lakeside Road who have joined forces to both reduce stormwater pollution and enhance biodiversity in the area.

The group has worked alongside Te Kākano Aotearoa Trust, Wānaka Backyard Trapping, the Upper Clutha Wilding Tree Group, WAI Wānaka and Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) on a range of initiatives.

Group members have removed invasive species, installed traps and replanted natives - most recently at a working bee earlier this month - and they are now turning their attention to stormwater runoff.

New signage about stormwater runoff on the Eely Point Track. PHOTO: Wānaka App

A report by Otago Regional Council (ORC) released earlier this year showed that Otago freshwater was in “serious trouble”.

Despite this, the regional council only monitors the water at one location in Lake Wānaka, and only over the summer months; meanwhile QLDC does only event-based monitoring.

One of those events occurred earlier this month, with E.Coli levels above the safe swimming limit discovered at Roys Bay after reports of “soapy-looking water” entering the lake.

Local organisation WAI Wānaka, whose mission is to improve and maintain the long-term health of the Upper Clutha’s freshwater, has been helping the Lakeside Road Enhancement Group.

A Lakeside Road Enhancement Group working bee earlier this month. PHOTO: WAI Wanaka

Together (and with the support of the Sustainable Business Network and QLDC) - they have installed new signage about stormwater runoff on the Eely Point Track.

The sign explains how stormwater ends up in the lake, details some of the contaminants it can include (from soap to pesticides and fertiliser to oil), and provides some information on how people can reduce their impact.

The enhancement group said it picked the location because it is where its neighbourhood runoff ends up. Next on its agenda, the new group said, is establishing a storm water monitoring programme for the area.

Setting up an urban catchment group like Lakeside Road Enhancement Group is one way to get involved with protecting the lake water but there are many different options for the different time commitments people have, WAI Wānaka communications and educator Jaylene Harper told the Wānaka App.

The actions can be as small as sweeping up grass clippings and keeping them off driveways and roads, and checking the weather before applying fertiliser and using them sparingly.

Participating in Adopt a Drain by signing up to ‘adopt’ and look after a storm drain in your area is another, and WAI Wānaka will provide a free 30-minute session to sign any newcomers up and teach them what it involves.

People can also attend volunteer events (there are two coming up in the next few weeks) or make a financial contribution to support WAI Wānaka’s work, among others.

Learn more about ways to help here.

Read more: Otago fresh water in serious trouble