Horizons Regional Council has surveyed public expectations around water quality and results show clear community backing for work to maintain and enhance waterways. Chief Executive Michael McCartney says 43 per cent of the residents surveyed rate water quality in the region as very good, and this is a useful indicator for Horizons' work. "We have a vast amount of scientific data on water quality, but as a council we cannot act on science alone. Knowing what our community's attitudes are towards waterways means we can put all the environmental management work we do on water quality into the right context." Michael McCartney says it does not take a water ecologist to understand why preserving water quality is important. However, understanding how water quality can be improved needs to take scientific as well as economic factors into account. "The productive value of water in our region is somewhere in the realm of $2.4 billion and the non-consumptive (recreational) value is more than $280 million. Figures like this help to illustrate the vital nature of water as an economic resource, and how as a regional council we have a crucial role to play in balancing the economic and environmental needs of our community." There are extensive water quality initiatives in operation across the Horizons Region, including a rigorous water monitoring regime and a hard-line approach where needed from the Horizons consents and compliance teams. Horizons works with numerous industries, including farming, forestry and pharmaceutical companies to change working practices in terms of water discharges. Non-regulatory programmes, including the Sustainable Land Use Initiative and other science-based programmes also focus on water quality issues. "From the survey results we know that our communities want rivers and streams which are full of clear water and free of bacteria. It is our challenge to manage our water resource in the economic space as well as the environmental space. The message that we have around water quality is that it is not time for panic, but it is certainly time to act." Mr McCartney says the survey results will be useful for future decision-making, and will feed into forums such as One Plan hearings on water. "It is important to bear in mind that these survey results are public perceptions, they are not about science. This survey is highly robust but what it shows are the personal views of 711 residents." A copy of the survey results and an invitation to meet with Horizons to discuss water quality issues has been sent to all council authorities in the Horizons Region, as well as executive members of Federated Farmers. The telephone survey was conducted in late June, and involved 711 people aged over 18 from all over the Horizons Region. It sought to gauge opinion on:  the proportion of residents using rivers and streams in the region  the activities undertaken on the region's rivers  reasons for using a particular river  reasons for avoiding a particular river  opinions towards the causes of river degradation  willingness to pay for improved water quality.