The quality of some Christchurch waterways is improving for the first time in years.
The Terraces, beside the Avon River in central Christchurch. Photo: RNZ / Belinda McCammon
It has been under pressure from urbanisation, storm water contamination and water fowl.
Christchurch City Council Waterways ecologist Belinda Margetts said the five biggest waterways had typically had fair or poor water quality.
But she said the Avon and Styx Rivers had seen recent improvement.
Ms Margetts said that was due to work being done to encourage residents and business to avoid putting contaminants in stormwater, along with more riparian planting.
"There is some improvements that we are seeing but there is definitely more work that we can do to improve the waterways and get them up to a better standard and unfortunately that takes time, involving not just city council or regional councils but also individual people as well and communities."
Belinda Margetts said if people wanted water quality to continue to improve they needed to be mindful of what they were putting into their drains.
