“Water quality has always been a concern for Aucklanders,” says Arash Farjood.
“And at Auckland Council's Healthy Waters team, our aim is to improve water quality in the region.”
As Senior Healthy Waters Specialist in Auckland Council’s Wai Ora Strategic Programmes team, Arash Farjood’s role is about the big picture.
He’s currently working on collaborative projects that aim to improve the management of Auckland’s on-site wastewater systems on Waiheke Island and across Auckland and is part of the team developing a water strategy for our region.
It’s a good thing he’s passionate about water.
“Improving wastewater management for areas of Auckland that rely on on-site wastewater systems fascinates me,” says Arash.
“At Healthy Waters I have been given the opportunity to get involved in projects I am interested in – to follow my passion and make a difference in our water future.”
A crucial step toward safeguarding public health, Arash explains, is protecting our natural ecosystem and building resilience in our community for the future. Aucklanders need to be using our precious water resource wisely and preventing pollution to our pristine environment.
“Coming from a water-scarce region in the Middle-East where we hardly get 200mm of rain in most years, every drop of water has always been precious to me,” he says. “We are blessed to have plenty of that in Auckland.”
Arash’s role means he is always on the lookout for knowledge gaps so that he and the team can develop forward-looking strategies for improving the way we are managing our waters.
And it’s for this reason that Arash urges people to have their say on Our Water Future. The document is not about telling people what Auckland Council has done or is planning to do, he says. “Rather, it is to have a conversation with the community and to hear from them their concerns and hopes about our waters.”
Clean, healthy water is essential to our future. As our region continues to grow and change, we need to look after this precious taonga. Visit akhaveyoursay.nz to have your say on how we should waterproof our future. Feedback is open until 19 April.
Read more about the Our Water Future: Auckland's water discussion on OurAuckland.
