Submissions closed at 5 pm on 30 June 2017. Visit our Bylaws page for more information about current bylaws.

The Whakatāne District Council (the Council) seeks your views on a new Combined Waters Bylaw.

The proposed bylaw contains a revised, updated version of three existing bylaw parts of Whakatāne District Council’s Consolidated Bylaw which are due to expire in 2018. They are:

• Part 2 - Tradewaste
• Part 7 - Wastewater
• Part 8 - Water Supply

In addition, the proposed bylaw contains a new Stormwater section, which will enable the Council to control the quality of stormwater flowing into the waterways.

Proposal

The Council proposes to revoke Part 2 (Trade-Waste), Part 7 (Wastewater Drainage) and Part 8 (Water Supply) of the Whakatāne District Council’s Consolidated Bylaw and replace these three parts with a standalone proposed Combined Waters Bylaw 2017.

The Draft Combined Waters Bylaw is being released for public consultation using the Special Consultative Procedure as outlined in section 86 of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). In accordance with section 86(2) of the Act, the Council is required to include the following in a statement of proposal:

• A draft of the proposed bylaw
• The reasons for the proposal
• A report of any relevant determinations by Council under section 155 of the Act

The proposed Whakatāne District Council Combined Waters Bylaw 2017 forms part of this statement of proposal.

Reasons for the proposal

Under sections 158 to 160 of the Act, the Council is required to review all bylaws within five years of their adoption and every 10 years thereafter.

Council staff have undertaken a review of the Tradewaste, Wastewater Drainage and Water Supply bylaws and consider they generally remain fit for purpose. A number of minor technical changes are proposed to these bylaws to increase clarity and bring about consistency across all four sections of the proposed Combined Waters bylaw. In addition, the wording of all three bylaws has been simplified and streamlined where appropriate.

The review has highlighted the interdependency of wastewater, tradewaste, water supply and stormwater and has shown that all four elements need to be managed as individual components of a single water system. For example, stormwater and tradewaste products can directly pollute waterways, affect the functioning of the wastewater system and can ultimately affect the quality of the water supply. For this reason, the existing bylaws are being brought together into a single Combined Waters Bylaw along with a new stormwater section.

The proposed Combined Waters Bylaw 2017 provides certainty and clear direction around the rights, obligations and responsibilities of landowners, occupiers, businesses, customers and the Council with regard to all aspects of water use. The proposed bylaw will also assist the Council in meeting its environmental and resource consent responsibilities. Each section enables the Council to manage specific aspects of water use in the District.

Part 2: Water Supply enables the Council to:

• Preserve, protect and manage the quantity and quality of the District’s water supply
• Meet the water supply needs of all stakeholders in the District
• Protect the physical infrastructure of the water supply system from damage

Part 3: Wastewater Drainage enables the Council to:

• Efficiently and safely remove all wastewater from all connected properties
• Safeguard community health and wellbeing through the effective collection, treatment and disposal of wastewater
• Control the volume and type of wastewater entering sewerage networks
• Keep stormwater and wastewater clearly separated
• Protect the physical infrastructure of the wastewater system from damage

Part 4: Trade Waste Discharges and Consents enables the Council to:

• Manage the quantity and quality of tradewaste at source
• Ensure the treatment process meets resource consent standards
• Ensure the tradewaste treatment process is adequately and appropriately funded by those discharging trade waste

Part 5: Stormwater enables the Council to:

• Protect public health and safety
• Manage the environmental impacts of stormwater
• Ensure a clear distinction is maintained between stormwater and wastewater

Consultation

The statement of proposal, a summary of information and a copy of the proposed bylaw are available for viewing during normal Council hours at the Council offices and District Libraries during the formal consultation process which is scheduled to take place from 29 May to 30 June 2017, with a Submissions Hearing taking place on 27 July 2017.

Submissions closed at 5 pm on 30 June 2017.