Water is valued for many reasons: ecological function, role in supporting industry and maintaining biodiversity, recreational value, and cultural significance. By international standards, New Zealand has a plentiful supply of water due to high levels of precipitation. However, this water is not evenly distributed – some areas experience a surplus while others have seasonal shortages.
The water accounts are part of a series of environmental accounts published by Statistics New Zealand that provide information on the interaction between the environment and the economy.
The water accounts involve the components of the hydrological cycle relating to freshwater supplies in New Zealand. Precipitation and evapotranspiration are two of the main components, but the account also includes other elements such as groundwater, river flows, and snow and ice.
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