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Tūwharetoa has officially taken over all water quality monitoring in the Taupō catchment from the Waikato Regional Council.
It marks the first time a local government has handed some function to local Māori, since the option was included in the Resource Management Act three decades ago.
But the Council is being clear that Tūwharetoa will only collect samples - not make decisions - and the data will remain in the ownership of the council.
Russ Rimmington is the chair of the Waikato Regional Council.
He spoke to Māni Dunlop.