26 September 2014
Consultation on three water and waste bylaws begins

Tomorrow, consultation starts on three proposed bylaws: the Water Supply Bylaw, the Trade Waste Bylaw, and the Stormwater Drainage Bylaw.

Policy analyst Peter Ridge says Council isn’t proposing too many changes to the current Water Supply, Tradewaste and Stormwater bylaws however, legally Council needs to review and replace the Bylaws by 1 July 2015 otherwise they’ll be revoked.

Peter Ridge says the changes being proposed are in keeping with Council’s focus on sustainability and protection of the environment.

Water Supply Bylaw 2015 – The core function is to govern connections to the Council’s water supply. “The biggest change,” says Peter, “is to the format, we’re proposing to separate some parts of the bylaw into an administration manual, to make the bylaw itself easier to read. We’ve also included Council’s Backflow Prevention Policy.”

Trade Waste Bylaw 2015 – The core function is to create a system for issuing consent for trade waste discharges. If adopted it will largely continue the trade waste provisions in the current Tradewaste and Stormwater Bylaw, though several specific changes will occur:
• Dentists would be responsible for cleaning and safely disposing of the amalgam from their amalgam traps.
• Grease interceptors in food premises will have to meet a minimum capacity, and the waste collected by a registered waste collector.
• Tankered waste collectors operating in Palmerston North will need to be registered with the Ministry for the Environment’s WasteTRACK system.
• Liquid antibiotics and cytotoxic waste will be a prohibited trade waste.
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The Stormwater Drainage Bylaw 2015 – Its core purpose is to protect the network from damage and pollution. The notable changes are:
• Restrictions to protect the stormwater network from damage and pollution of the environment and waterways.
• Requiring commercial premises that discharge contaminants to the stormwater network to prepare site drainage plans for Council approval, with controls to prevent pollution of the network.

Submissions need to be made prior to 4pm on Friday, 28 November 2014. Submitters can choose to talk to their submission at the Planning and Policy Committee scheduled for February 2015.

The Planning and Policy Committee will then meet to discuss the submissions (both written and oral), and debate any changes to the proposed amendments recommended as a result of the consultation process. The committee will make recommendations to the Council on what they believe the final amendments to the Bylaws should be.

The Council will meet to consider these recommendations, probably in April or May 2015. They will make the final decision and adopt the amendments to the Bylaws.

ENDS

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