Queenstown Lakes District Council gave the green light to proceed with public consultation on a proposed Integrated Three Waters Bylaw at its meeting on 23 July.

QLDC General Manager Property and Infrastructure Peter Hansby said that taking an integrated approach followed community feedback late last year and would provide a more responsive regulatory framework to manage wastewater (including trade waste), stormwater and water supply in our district.

“Last November we asked the community what steps Council could take to manage challenges like water overuse, sewer overflows and inappropriate discharges to our stormwater network,” Mr Hansby said.

“Feedback was strongly in favour of developing an Integrated Three Waters Bylaw to take a more holistic and consistent approach and better support the district’s precious environment and vital infrastructure.”

“We currently have an existing Water Supply Bylaw 2015 and Trade Waste Bylaw 2014 which needed to be reviewed and we’ve recognised an increasing need for a stormwater and wastewater bylaw. Bringing these together to cover the whole network was a no brainer, providing much clearer guidelines and better outcomes for the environment and community.”

QLDC is now inviting submissions on the proposed Bylaw until Sunday 27 September 2020. Details on the proposed Bylaw, including the Statement of Proposal and proposed Administration Manual, along with how to make a submission can be found at letstalk.qldc.govt.nz or at Council offices and Libraries across the district.

Drop-in sessions will be scheduled in Queenstown and Wānaka for anyone who would like to provide feedback in person or talk through how the Bylaw could work.

“I would urge people to take a look at the proposed Bylaw in relation to their water management and discharges to the network, either as a business or a household,” Mr Hansby said.

“Our environment is precious and it takes a collective approach to protect it for future generations. Not just for our people, but for those living and playing downstream from us. And while the Council is responsible for building, operating and maintaining the essential infrastructure, we all have a part to play to keep things running smoothly”.

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