Policy 16-1: Consent decision-making for takes and uses of surface water^ and groundwater

When making decisions on resource consent^ applications under s104-104D RMA, and setting consent conditions^, for takes and uses of surface water^ or groundwater the Regional Council must:
  1. seek to avoid any adverse effects^ on other lawful activities, particularly on other surface water^ takes, including takes allowed by s14(3)(b) of the RMA, and groundwater takes from properly-constructed, efficient and fully-functioning bores (as described in Policies 16-4 and 16-5),
  2. enable non-consumptive uses of water^ including the use and recycling of water^, and
  3. have regard to the objectives and policies of Chapters 2, 3, 5, 6, 9 and 12 to the extent that they are relevant to the activity.


Policy 16-2: Consideration of alternative water^ sources

When making decisions on consent applications to take surface water^, the opportunity to utilise alternative sources such as groundwater, water^ storage, water^ harvesting (including during periods of high flow in a river^) and the recycling of water^ must be considered.


Policy 16-3: Consent decision-making for diversions and drainage

When making decisions on resource consent^ applications, and setting consent conditions^, for the diversion of water^, including diversions associated with drainage, the Regional Council^ must:

  1. manage effects^ on rare habitats*, threatened habitats* and at-risk habitats* in accordance with Chapter 6 and the relevant objective and policies in Chapter 13,
  2. manage effects^ on the natural character of water bodies^ in accordance with Chapter 6,
  3. seek to avoid any adverse effects^ on any other lawful activity, particularly on other surface water^ takes, including those allowed by s14(3)(b) of the RMA and groundwater takes from properly-constructed, efficient and fully-functioning bores (as described in Policies 16- 4 and 16-5), and
  4. have regard to the objectives and policies of Chapters 2, 3, 5, 9 and 12 to the extent that they are relevant to the activity.


Policy 16-4: Bore* construction and management

  1. New bores* must be sited to ensure adequate separation from existing bores*, and to avoid an over-concentration of bores* in a particular area, wherever practicable, to avoid adverse effects^ on the reliability of supply from properly-constructed, efficient and fully-functioning existing bores*.
  2. New bores* must generally be constructed, and bore* logs and other records prepared, in accordance with the NZS 4411:2001 Environmental Standard for Drilling of Soil and Rock.
  3. New bores* must be designed to ensure a high degree of efficiency with respect to bore* development, bore* depth and diameter, and screen depth and length.
  4. Bores* must be used in a manner that prevents:
    1. contaminants^ from entering the bore* from the land^ surface
    2. the wastage of water^ in artesian situations.
  5. Bores* that are no longer required must be decommissioned in general accordance with the NZS 4411:2001 Environmental Standard for Drilling of Soil and Rock.


Policy 16-5: Effects of groundwater takes on other groundwater takes

  1. Consent applications to take groundwater must include pumping tests and hydrogeological assessments in order to determine the likely impact on existing groundwater takes in the vicinity.
  2. Consent conditions^ restricting the rate and duration of pumping must be imposed on new takes of groundwater where this is necessary to avoid significant drawdown impacts on existing groundwater takes from properly-constructed, efficient and fully-functioning bores* in the vicinity. A groundwater take is considered to be from a properly-constructed, efficient and fully-functioning bore* in circumstances where the bore* penetrates the aquifer from which water^ is being drawn at a depth sufficient to enable water^ to be drawn all year (ie., the bore* depth is below the range of seasonal fluctuations in groundwater level), the pump and bore* are adequately maintained, the bore* is of sufficient diameter and is screened to reasonably minimise drawdown, and the bore* has a pump capable of drawing water^ from its base to the land^ surface.
  3. Consent conditions^ specifying short-term restrictions on the rate and duration of pumping may also be imposed on new takes of groundwater where this is necessary to avoid significant drawdown impacts on existing bores* that are not properly-constructed, efficient and fully-functioning, in order to allow sufficient time for such bores* to be upgraded* or replaced.
  4. The Regional Council may encourage consent applicants^ to consider the option of providing water^ to neighbouring properties in circumstances where this would be more practical than meeting the requirements of (b) or (c). 


Policy 16-6: Effects of groundwater takes on surface water bodies^

The effects of groundwater takes on surface water bodies^, including wetlands^, must be managed in the following manner:

  1. An appropriate scientific method must be used to calculate the likely degree of connection between the groundwater and surface water^ at the location of the groundwater take.
  2. Subject to (a), the potential adverse effects^ of groundwater takes on surface water^ depletion must be managed in accordance with Table 16.1.

Table 16.1 Surface water^ depletion

Classification of Surface Water^ Depletion Effect^ Magnitude of Surface Water^ Depletion Effect^ Management Approach
Riparian Any groundwater take screened within the geologically recent bed strata of a surface water body^. The groundwater take is subject to the same restrictions as a surface water^ take, unless there is clear hydrogeological evidence that demonstrates that the effect^ of pumping will not impact on the surface water body^.
High The surface water^ depletion effect^ is calculated as 90% or greater of the groundwater pumping rate after seven days of pumping, or 50% or greater of the average groundwater pumping rate after 100 days of pumping. The groundwater take is subject to the same restrictions as a surface water^ abstraction.
Medium The surface water^ depletion effect^ is calculated as 20% or greater and less than 50% of the groundwater pumping rate after 100 days of pumping. The calculated loss of surface water^ is included in the surface water^ allocation regime, but no specific minimum flow restrictions are imposed on the groundwater take.
Low The surface water^ depletion effect^ is calculated as less than 20% of the groundwater pumping rate after 100 days of pumping.; The calculated loss of surface water^ is not included in the surface water^ allocation regime and no specific minimum flow restrictions are imposed on the groundwater take.


Policy 16-7: Saltwater intrusion

Saltwater intrusion along the coastal margins of the Region arising from groundwater takes must be managed by the following measures:

  1. Consent applicants^ wishing to take groundwater within 5 km of the coastal mean high water springs line must be required to carry out pumping tests and hydrogeological assessments in order to determine the level of drawdown at the coast and the likelihood of inducing saltwater intrusion.
  2. In cases where saltwater intrusion might occur, the consent application may be declined or the amount of water^ that can be taken must be limited to an amount that restricts the likelihood of saltwater intrusion.
  3. In addition, consents to take groundwater within 5 km of the coastal mean high water springs line must contain conditions^ relating to the monitoring of electrical conductivity and the restriction or suspension of takes if specified electrical conductivity thresholds are reached or exceeded. These monitoring requirements and electrical conductivity thresholds will be determined on a case-by-case basis.


Policy 16-8: Monitoring requirements of consent holders

Water^ takes must generally be subject to the following monitoring requirements:

  1. the installation of a pulse-count capable water^ meter on all water^ takes that are allowed by way of a resource consent^, in order to monitor the amount of water^ taken
  2. the installation of a Regional Council compatible telemetry system on surface water^ takes greater than 750 m3/d, and on groundwater takes greater than 750 m3/d where the groundwater is highly interconnected with surface water^
  3. the installation of a Regional Council compatible telemetry system on other groundwater takes greater than 4,000 m3/d
  4. Appropriate water quality monitoring, including conductivity monitoring on groundwater takes located within 5 km of the coast, or on a nearby monitoring bore*
  5. the installation of a Regional Council compatible telemetry system on consented surface water^ takes where:
    1. the amount of water^ taken, when assessed in combination with all other water^ takes upstream, exceeds 15% of the estimated one-day mean annual low flow, or
    2. the amount of water^ taken from a Water Management Sub-zone* as identified in Schedule A exceeds 15% of the one-day mean annual low flow for that Sub-zone*.


Policy 16-9: Transfer of water permits^

On the application of any consent holder, the transfer of a permit to take water^ will generally be approved in terms of s136(2)(b)(ii) of the RMA, providing:

  1. the transferred take is exercised within the same Water Management Zone* as the original consent,
  2. the rate and quantity of water^ taken are consistent with the provisions of Chapter 5 regarding the need for water^ and efficient use of water^,
  3. the transferred take complies with all relevant water^ allocation requirements of Chapter 5 at the site of transfer, and
  4. there are no more than minor adverse effects^ on any other take or use of water^.