This update is to provide clarity on Otago Regional Council services in light of Government direction today.

Our in-person customer service points in Dunedin and Queenstown are now closed; however, we will continue to field customer enquiries via phone, social media and email (see contacts below).

The Council meeting scheduled for Wednesday has been cancelled. We are working on solutions to continue having Council meetings and expect we may recommence meetings in a new format in the coming weeks.

The Otago Regional Council is well equipped to continue much of our work over this time while our staff are at home. At Alert Level 4, we will continue to operate the following essential services to protect human health and our environment and facilitate the movement of essential service staff via public transport. Our essential services are:

• Natural hazard event monitoring, response and recovery (this includes our 24/7 flood monitoring programme).

• Operation and maintenance of flood protection and land drainage infrastructure.

• Public transport (according to guidance from Central Government)

• Pollution response

• Monitoring our State of the Environment network

• Notifying of any water quality issues that may affect human health.

ORC Chair Marian Hobbs said, “ORC is well placed to continue to provide essential services for the transport of essential service staff and to protect our human health and the environment. These are the times we have planned for and our staff are working from home to maintain our current work programme. Keep watching our website and social media for updates and new information.”

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