Water Supply Bylaw out for consultation

Waikato District Council’s proposed new Water Supply Bylaw 2023 is out for consultation.

The proposed bylaw contains Council’s rules for protecting water supply. The purpose of the bylaw is to:

• Promote the efficient use of water and protect against waste or misuse of water from the water supply system.
• Protect the water supply and water supply system from pollution and contamination.
• Manage and protect from damage, misuse, or loss of land, structures and infrastructure associated with the water supply system.
• Prevent the unauthorised use of land, structures or infrastructure associated with the water supply system.

Council’s water supply network includes almost 18,000 connections, of which 99% are metered.

It is estimated that 50% of rateable properties in the district are connected to a water supply network.

The proposed Water Supply Bylaw 2023 includes rules regarding:

• Accessing and connection to the water supply system, including use of fire hydrants.
• Protection of water sources.
• Connection and disconnecting to the water supply network.
• Ownership and responsibility for maintenance.
• Rules regarding meters and flow restrictors.

Proposed changes to its previous Water Supply Bylaw include:

• Acknowledging Council’s duty regarding Te Ture Whaimana o Te Awa o Waikato (the vision and strategy for the Waikato River).
• Updating the Proposed Bylaw to reflect legislative changes, including references to the Water Service Regulator Act 2020 and Water Services Entity Act 2022, and removing references to Ministry of Health.
• Clarifying rules for the flow and pressure of water. These rules have been changed so that they specify operating standards, instead of just design standards.
• Updating references to Firefighting Water Supplies Code of Practice.
• Requiring each dwelling to have a separate water meter, including when there are two or more dwellings on a property title.
• Noting that it is the customer's responsibility to ensure the toby (water valve) is left in the correct position.

Consultation is open until 5 November and a hearing and deliberations are planned for 22 November.

For further information, including a Statement of Proposal, the proposed Bylaw and submission form – visit www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/sayit or any Council office or library. 

You can tell us what you think about the proposed bylaw by making a submission in the following ways:

• entering it online at www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/sayit 
• emailing it to consult@waidc.govt.nz  
• posting it to Waikato District Council, Private bag 544, Ngaaruawaahia 3720 
• delivering it to any Council office or library.