This project is part of the Ministry for Environment’s Water Allocation Programme. The programme is aimed at enabling sustainable development of New Zealand’s water resources by removing unnecessary constraints to water availability and promoting improved efficiency of water use. A potential method to improve the economic efficiency of resource use is allowing users to transfer their allocations, thereby moving the water to those who value it most. This is not happening at present due to a number of institutional and attitudinal factors. To deal with these, we need first to understand if and when users would transfer their permits. The project report aims to identify the factors influencing decisions to transfer water, to identify regional council and water user perceptions of water transfer, and to identify the barriers to transfer and how they could be overcome.

Report prepared for Ministry for the Environment.