2024 felt almost as if a wildly overconfident beta version of ChatGPT was tasked with writing the year plan, took a multiple contaminants approach to global events, and got most of it spectacularly wrong. In an effort to recover, it tried listening to roughly 5 million local opinions about the Three Waters, panicked, and frantically mashed together a treatment train of fancy policies, mass-loaded optimism, and a liberal concentration of dark humour for good measure.
The result? A chaotic, slightly nonsensical year that felt a little like an overrated treatment device – full of promises but no substance that somehow made it through some loose approvals anyway, leaving us all in amazement at how we got through this all!?
That said, not everything’s been a cesspool of hot mix in our stormwater, and we look back with renewed gratitude at some of our Key Highlights:
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This year marked 21 consecutive years of our Premium Sponsorship of the Water NZ annual Stormwater Conference & Expo, bringing together Industry Experts, Topical Specialists, Pioneers, and young emerging Stormwater Warriors, all coming together to protect and nurture stormwater, the love child (or should I say orphan?!) of the Three Waters.
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Our strong pivot to Green Infrastructure was welcomed throughout the sector as it continues to highlight the many benefits it brings to the holistic and sustainable management (and budgets!) of stormwater.
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Adoption of our Filterra Bioscape® technology grew significantly, with seven new installations across New Zealand. These systems now treat a combined 240,000m² of catchments, serving diverse land uses from the scenic suburbs in Omokoroa to intense industrial yards in the Hawkes Bay.
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A proud moment for us this year: Mike Hannah, our Co-Founder and Technical Director, was recognized as an Engineering NZ Fellow for his 30 years of leadership and contributions to stormwater management in New Zealand and abroad. Mike remains hands-on and continues to inspire us all with his dedication.
And now, at the end of a year that was as variable as only stormwater can be, we look with gratitude to you, our partners and colleagues in stormwater, our friends, and all the connections we’ve made that support the continued growth of this very important sector. We wish to you those gifts that don’t require budgets or funding:
May your stockings overflow with joy, your tree sparkle with laughter, and may the warm glow of love and blessings surround you over the Festive Season. Here’s to a brighter, cleaner, and more resilient 2025—both in stormwater and beyond.
Kia kaha, kia maia, kia manawanui.
Happy Holidays and a wonderful New Year!
