North Shore City Council

The North Shore City Council has launched a major stormwater initiative to establish the best way to improve the quality of run-off from roads entering streams and the sea.

Many pollutants are washed from roads during heavy rain, but methods of filtering stormwater before it enters streams can help protect stream and beach water quality.

North Shore City’s stormwater spokesperson, Councillor Guy Cornish, says the stormwater project will test different filters and strainers.

"Road water initially flows into the roadside catchpits. Catching the pollutants at the beginning of the stormwater system in these catchpits is a prime method of stormwater management," says Councillor Cornish. "The project will establish the most economic and effective way of protecting our stream and beach water from contaminants from roads, such as silt and heavy metals, and help us install the right equipment for our city in the future."

Once the most effective filter has been chosen the council will install the filter in areas of major development and high public use. The devices will be installed in catchpits in Takapuna and Browns Bay commercial areas, Glenfield and Kaipatiki Roads, and around Lake Pupuke over the coming months.

The council’s works and environment committee chairperson, Councillor Bruce Lilly, says the project builds on initiatives set out in the city’s stormwater strategy adopted last year.

Other stormwater initiatives include:

Exploring new conservation techniques for stormwater management that exploit the natural features of a site, such as streams, rivers, vegetation, wetlands and special habitat areas.

Assessing the city’s streams by studying the types of animals living in and around them to give an indication of what is happening to particular streams.

Requiring stormwater to be considered by applicants during the resource consent process.

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