# Te wai Water is a fundamental part of who we are. It sustains our physical health, natural ecosystems, and spiritual well-being. From mountain streams to the sea, healthy water supports both people and wildlife. In this chapter, we focus specifically on the water quality of our rivers and streams. We track the health of these waterways through our State of Environment monitoring programme. This programme regularly tests water quality at representative sites across the entire region, helping us understand the overall condition of our environment. Click on the links to explore our water story: - **Pressures | What’s affecting the land?** Discover the specific environmental challenges and pollutants affecting our local waterways. - **State | What does the data tell us?** Dive into the latest data and long-term trends from our regional monitoring sites. - **Actions | What can we do to help?** Learn about the practical, everyday actions we can all take to restore and protect our water.