Media Release
24 September 2012
New wastewater rules

New rules in the Regional Resource Management Plan for on-site wastewater discharges will come into effect next week on 1 October 2012.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council began the plan change process in July last year with the aim of making the rules clearer.

“The rules now have more of a focus on locations where wastewater discharges may pose a higher risk to the environment and people’s health” says HBRC’s Principal Consents Officer, Charlotte Drury.

Small sites and sloping sites are two examples of this.

Unless wastewater systems located on slopes comply with design specifications included in the new rules they will require resource consent.

Small sites and sites with shallow water tables are also challenging for designing appropriate on-site wastewater systems. The new rules require that any new on-site wastewater discharge on a property of less than 1000 m2 must be authorised by resource consent.

Mrs Drury says the changes to the rules will mean consents are no longer required for many existing on-site wastewater systems, but there will also be some situations where consents are now required for new systems, where previously discharges would have been permitted. “Anyone who is putting in a new wastewater system and doesn’t know whether or not it requires a discharge permit is encouraged to contact Regional Council consents staff for advice.”

HBRC has also prepared similar changes for the on-site wastewater rules in the proposed Regional Coastal Environment Plan for the coastal areas. Those revised rules should come into effect by early 2013.

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On The 2013 Budget

Among Thursday’s main talking points:

We are apparently on track for a margin-of-error $75 million surplus, now in sight for 2014/15. But this sickly creature is hobbling out of the lab on the basis of all kinds of facilitative conjuring: such as trimming by $200 million the amount of new spending next time around.

With this strictly nominal surplus in sight, the 1984-ish justification for eternal austerity will have a news talisman: namely, getting Crown debt down to 20% of GDP by 2020. More>>

Budget Report, Lockup Audio & Images: Budget Day 2013 As always and especially after the managerial mishaps of the past few weeks and months, (e.g. Aaron Gilmore, the Mighty River Power share float, the GCSB mishaps) Budget Day 2013 was always going to be a pageant of reassurance... More>>

Budget 2013 Comment: Plain Sailing, But It's No America's Cup Pattrick Smellie: Compared to the last four budgets, this year's reflects an economy moving out of recession and into calmer waters... Yet if the fastest annual growth rate we can expect over the next two years is 3 percent - with the Christchurch rebuild in full swing - then you'd have to say New Zealand's underlying low-growth problem is far from fixed. More>>

Auckland Discord: Govt’s Power Hungry Housing Approach A Threat - Labour

Last week the Government said this, ‘The Government commits not to use any proposed or existing powers ... to override the council's planning and consenting processes’. But its housing Bill says this; ‘If an accord cannot be reached in an area of severe housing unaffordability, the Government can intervene by establishing special housing areas and issuing consents for developers’. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - Housing accords legislation passes first reading - Legislation For Housing Accords, Land Supply - Housing package improves affordability, access
• Greens - Budget numbers show National’s failure on home affordability
• Auckland Chamber of Commerce - Budget 2013: Housing intervention needed
• Out-Link - Gareth Morgan: Response to housing problem limp-wristed
• Earlier, Pre-Budget - Auckland Accord announced

Extending Protest Ban, Relaxing Permit Rules: Govt Abuses Urgency To Extend Anadarko Amendment

The Government is trying to pass legislation under urgency which would make the Anadarko Amendment – which limits protest at sea – apply to an additional 1.7 million square kilometres, the Green Party said today. More>>

ALSO:

• Parliament Today - Parliament Resumes To Pass Budget Bills
• Labour - Government to extend protest ban
• Greenpeace NZ - Oil Companies Lacking ‘Expertise’ and ‘Financial Ability’ Set to Be Handed Drilling Permits
• 2010 image via: Pacific.Scoop - Media watcher gives NZ press nil score card for China oil spill coverage