The Whakatāne District Council has approved a Draft Combined Waters Bylaw and initiated a formal public consultation process which will allow any member of the public or interested organisation to make submissions in support of, or opposition to any of the draft bylaw’s provisions.
The Council will be reviewing all parts of its current Consolidated Bylaw over the next 12 months, as required by the Local Government Act. Team Leader Strategic Policy, Cashy Ball, says the adoption of the draft Combined Waters Bylaw marks the first phase of the review. “Submissions on the draft bylaw are open now and close at 5 pm on Friday, 30 June,” she says. “The draft brings together three parts of the existing Consolidated Bylaw — covering trade waste, wastewater drainage and water supply — and combines these with a new stormwater bylaw to create a more efficient and effective approach to managing the inter-relationships between these components.”
The underlying principle of the review is to simplify the language used so that the resulting bylaws are more user-friendly and easier to follow and understand.
“The changes proposed to the existing bylaw parts are minor technical amendments which will strengthen our ability to manage our water supply and wastewater systems,” Ms Ball explains. “The new stormwater section will set out some common-sense rules about discharges into our stormwater infrastructure and aims to ensure that any potential impacts on the receiving waters are minimised.”
The draft bylaw, together with a ‘Statement of Proposal’ setting out the proposed changes to the existing bylaw parts, a submission form and a ‘Questions and Answers’ document are all available on the Council’s website, and hardcopies are also available at Council offices and District Libraries.
Information on the draft bylaw will be provided to organisations and businesses with a known interest in the areas covered, and the Council’s Strategic Policy and 3 Waters teams will also provide briefings for interested stakeholders, on request.