SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation , Waimāori me te Rerenga Parukore

Massey is using recycled water from stormwater and run-off to support sustainability across its campuses. It is a sustainable water harvesting and reuse practice made possible by New Zealand’s naturally clean and abundant rainfall.

• At the Manawatū campus, the new hockey pitch is equipped with two 30,000-litre tanks that collect stormwater and run-off to feed the sprinklers – keeping the turf in top condition. The system is topped up with bore water when needed.
• At the Ōtehā campus, toilets in both the library and the new Innovation Complex building are flushed using recycled water. This water is collected from hard surface run-off and stored in 15,000-litre underground tanks.

In 2024 alone, an estimated 200,000 litres of non-potable water was captured and stored on-site for reuse. It is reducing demand on mains water and supporting sustainable operations.

Massey has committed that all new buildings achieve the '5 Green Star New Zealand Excellence' rating in the 'Green Star' building standard or the equivalent. This standard is a sustainability rating system certified by the Green Building Council Australia.

The rating system is holistic and includes an assessment of water conservation measures during the building’s environmental impact assessment.

Initiatives to conserve water include fitting sensor taps to reduce water wastage in our new buildings – the Veterinary Student Learning Complex and the Post Mortem/Production Animal Hospital facility.

Find out more about the Green Star rating system

The much-admired gardens on the Manawatū campus require a few water conservation measures to keep them looking good while reducing the water used.

• Organic composts, mulch, wetting agents and water retention gels are added to soils to increase their water-holding capacity.
• Verti-draining to ensure deeper plant roots, meaning less watering is required.
• Treegators reduce the amount of water required.
• Watering newly planted trees and rare/exotic species is prioritised during water shortages. The watering of plants is less often but for longer to encourage deep roots.
• Installing automated water systems allows controlled application at night, increasing absorption and reducing evaporation.

Massey offers popular short courses for local communities to learn about good water management and conservation. Massey’s Farmed Landscapes Research Centre run the courses. These courses include:

• Analysis of New Zealand Agricultural Systems
• Intermediate Freshwater Farm Planning
• Advanced Freshwater Farm Planning.

The Farm Environment Planning courses have attracted more than 4,000 participants, including farmers and other rural professionals.

The courses equip participants with the detailed knowledge and integrated skills necessary to develop New Zealand industry-standard freshwater management plans to improve water quality on farms.

Find out more about agriculture and farming courses

Read more about our water management and conservation courses

Water is precious – don’t waste it! We must be all considerate of our water usage to reduce the impacts of overuse on our environment and the risk of drought in the area.

As part of the 'Green Impact' initiative, a recent campaign promoted running full loads and utilising the eco-cycle in dishwashers, sterilisers and instrument cleaning units. Running a full-load cycle can reduce the number of cycles each day and save water.

Here are some easy tips to reduce your water usage.

• Keep your showers to 4 minutes or less.
• Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth.
• Use the half flush on toilets (where possible).
• When rinsing or doing dishes in the sink, use a plug and fill the sink rather than running the tap.
• Ensure that dishwashers only run with a full load.
• Report any leaks to Estates Management.

Find out more about Massey’s Green Impact initiative

Massey researchers are working with local farmers on drainage management techniques, as part of the Tiaki Wai Catchment Solutions project. The project focuses on 2 key techniques: controlled drainage and drainage water recycling. These approaches have the potential to both reduce nitrate leaching from paddocks and to conserve water by reducing the quantity of ground or surface water that is required for irrigation in dry periods. This means that these techniques enhance both the quality and quantity of ground and surface water resources.

A series of field days and master classes to teach farmers and other rural professionals about controlled drainage and drainage water recycling management systems have been held in 2023 and 2024. Examples include the second annual Catchment Solutions Project workshop where over 50 participants explored targeted strategies – like detainment bunds – for reducing farm-related water pollution.

Two Massey University academics are providing expert advice to farmers in the Kahahakuri catchment to address the invasion of cow cress and reduce stream bank erosion. Their work in 2024 supports sustainable land management practices that protect waterways, improve ecosystem health, and promote long-term environmental resilience in the region.

Read more about drainage water recycling

Read more about Controlled drainage management systems

Find out more about our masterclasses on Innovative Farm Drainage Management Technologies

Read more about the Kahahakuri project

NovoLabs, a Massey spin-out, won 3 Hi-Tech Awards and the Best Spinout award at the KCA Australasian Research Commercialisation Awards for its Supercritical UV™ technology. The innovation offers a safer, chemical-free and sustainable way to disinfect liquids – helping make cleaner waterways more affordable.

Award-winning UV treatment of liquids

Massey researchers are achieving promising results using coconut husks to treat septic tank effluent, offering a low-cost, eco-friendly solution ideal for Pacific Island communities.

A new Environmental Health Intelligence NZ report highlights under-reporting of waterborne diseases, obscuring the real health risks from untreated drinking and recreational water.

EHINZ report on waterborne diseases

A joint research programme run by Massey and Plant & Food Research is investigating water conservation methodologies in one of the hottest climates in the world, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This research work forms part of a Government-to-Government collaboration between the New Zealand and UAE governments.

Water conservation in one of the hottest climates

A team of Massey soil scientists are working with local councils to help remove phosphorus from wastewater using large filters made of soil. The filters will help nutrient levels reach an acceptable environmental standard before discharging the wastewater to waterways.

Removing phosphorus from wastewater

The 'Palmy' Plastic Pollution Challenge is a long-term project to track and develop solutions for plastic pollution degrading the Manawatū River.

As part of the project, Massey staff and students have sampled plastic pollution in different places along the river to create baseline data in collaboration with:

• the Palmerston North City Council
• Rangitane o Manawatū
• the Manawatū River Leaders Accord
• Environment Network Manawatū
• the local community.

This data informs the development of a community-based plastic pollution strategy for Palmerston North City.

An international workshop to advance and harmonise methods and techniques for assessing and reducing the water use impacts of livestock production systems and supply chains, organised by Massey and the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy in 2022.

Wastewater undergoes treatment to meet or exceed the specifications stipulated by resource consents, preventing unauthorised discharge and maintaining prescribed quality standards, including those set out in regional water standard regulations and associated resource consents. In the Manawatū region, these are the Horizons Regional Council One Plan Water Quality Standards.

Adherence is via collection and treatment by local councils. For example, the Palmerston North City Council (PNCC) collects, treats and disposes wastewater from the Manawatū campus.

• The water is treated at the PNCC Wastewater Treatment Plant and includes the removal of phosphorus from the water and ultraviolet disinfection so it doesn’t harm waterways.
• The plant removes most contaminants from the wastewater before it passes through a wetland pond for further treatment in response to Māori cultural concerns.
• During wet weather, aeration lagoons store excess wastewater to ensure that consented discharge limits are not exceeded.

The university has established procedures to safeguard stormwater and natural waterways from chemical pollutants from intentional release, accidental spills or organised chemical waste disposal. These procedures include the implementation of Emergency Response Plans that detail appropriate equipment and processes to prevent hazardous substance leakage into the environment.

Treatment methods include wetland soaking, detention and trickle flow, and using filter socks. This multifaceted approach reflects Massey's commitment to environmental responsibility and safety.

Massey's Procedures for Hazardous Substances Disposal and Accidental Release addresses the disposal of hazardous substances – including aligning the university's hazardous substance disposal practices with New Zealand legislation, particularly the Health & Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations 2017.

Discharge of the university's stormwater (including polluted water) meets prescribed quality standards, including those in regional water standard regulations and associated resource consents. In the Manawatū region, these are the Horizons Regional Council One Plan Water Quality Standards.