The Papakura Stream, a 63 km long stretch of water that winds its way from Brookby in the east to the Manakau Harbour in the west. Over its 63 km journey to the harbour, it has a catchment area of 4,100 hectares.

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Without tree roots to help filter water before it enters the waterway, the upper Papakura Stream is now in bad shape. It has one of the highest E. coli levels in Auckland and ranks among the worst 25% of rural sites in New Zealand. This increased sediment and pollution entering the stream and travelling to the precious Manukau Harbour. It has also led to a massive decline in native species.