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.