Hamilton City Council is hosting a drop-in information session at the Verandah Café next week, as it seeks public comment on plans around natural and managed water flows around the city centre.

For more than a year Council has been developing a draft plan for the Waitawhiriwhiri and city centre catchments – an area of around 2400Ha in the south of the city which includes Dinsdale, Frankton, the city centre, Lake Rotoroa and south to Collins Road.

Council Infrastructure Engineer Andrea Phillips said individual feedback isn’t as daunting as people may think.

“Planning documents like an ICMP can seem massively complex but it all comes down to a very simple philosophy – what’s right for our water, our environment and our community. Each one is different, tailored to its waterways and landforms and the differing needs and features of the area, so we encourage people in this catchment to pop along to the drop-in session, find out more and give us their views.”

The drop-in session at Hamilton Lake Domain is between 4pm and 6pm on Wednesday 22 April 2026. Staff will explain how flood management and water quality is considered alongside water and wastewater under an over-arching plan known as an ICMP.

An integrated catchment management plan (ICMP) is designed to enable growth while protecting the environment.

An ICMP helps Council make better decisions about how land is used, how it looks after water resources, and what infrastructure is needed to manage stormwater, for example through using wetlands or raingardens.

For potential developers, the ICMP provides guidance on what infrastructure will likely be required as part of future development to manage the effects on the environment.

For property owners with development potential, the ICMP shows where plans may be required to coordinate with surrounding property owners to provide solutions to manage excess stormwater, or how future infrastructure could affect your land.

The ICMP also provides guidance on how to protect the waterways, including Lake Rotoroa.

Community feedback will help inform the final ICMP. Consultation runs to 30 April 2026. The draft Waitawhiriwhiri ICMP is a substantial document, but there is a summary key points document on Council’s consultation page at hamilton.govt.nz/haveyoursay.

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