Background
Te Awarua o Porirua (Porirua Harbour) is the largest estuary in the lower North Island and a taonga of immense cultural, ecological, and community value. Over many decades, the harbour and its catchment have been under pressure from urban growth, sedimentation, pollutants, and the loss of natural habitats.
To address these challenges, Te Wai Ora o Parirua – Porirua Harbour Accord (the Harbour Accord) was signed on Waitangi Day, February 2025 by Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira (on behalf of Ngāti Toa Rangatira), Greater Wellington, Porirua City Council, Wellington City Council, and Wellington Water. The Harbour Accord is a shared vision and commitment to restore and protect the mauri (life force) and long-term health of the harbour and catchment.
On 1 July 2026, Tiaki Wai became Wellington’s new water entity, and signed the Porirua Harbour Accord on 15 July 2026.
Read more about the Harbour Accord and its vision and commitment below.
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Published 20 Jul 2026
Porirua Harbour Accord
Turning vision into action
Following the signing of the Harbour Accord, the partner organisations, led by Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira, worked together to develop an Action Plan, to guide collective and integrated restoration efforts.
In 2025, a series of workshops brought together subject matter experts, community voices, industry, and Accord partners to focus on key issues:
- Reducing sediment entering the harbour
- Preventing and managing pollutants and contaminants
- Restoring and protecting natural habitats.
These workshops have built on earlier mahi, including the Porirua Harbour Strategy, Whāitua Implementation Programme 2019, Ngāti Toa Rangatira Statement, and the Porirua Harbour Summit. Through the workshops and subsequent scoping and collaboration, 20 priority actions now form the basis of the Te Awarua o Porirua Action Plan – released on 14 August 2026.
Grounded in an iwi-led Mauri Ora framework, the Action Plan takes a catchment-wide approach and marks the shift from planning to delivery, with partners already integrating priority actions into their work programmes.
Restoring Te Awarua o Porirua will take a collective effort. The Plan provides an important foundation for the work ahead – and a clear pathway for partners, communities and others across the catchment to play their part for generations to come.
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Published 18 Aug 2026
Te Awarua o Porirua Action Plan - Summary
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Published 18 Aug 2026
Te Awarua o Porirua Action Plan
Get in touch
- Phone:
- 0800 496 734
- Email:
- info@gw.govt.nz