Otago Regional Council (ORC) has responded to the Minister for the Environment’s concerns that its Land and Water Plan may result in “astronomical costs” for ratepayers - but that response has not yet been made public.

Minister for the Environment Penny Simmonds wrote to ORC last month, asking the council to supply information on the impact of its Land and Water Plan on industries such as farming.

The plan sets policies around the use, development and protection of Otago’s freshwater resources, including the beds and margins of waterbodies.

“My colleagues and I have all heard concerns from a range of Otago ratepayers that there will be an astronomical cost associated with the achievement of Te Mana o te Wai through your soon to be notified Land and Regional Water Plan (LWRP),” the Minister wrote to ORC chair Gretchen Robertson.

In 2014 the government placed Te Mana o te Wai within the National Policy Statement for Fresh Water, asking authorities to consider the health of freshwater ecosystems before allowing any proposed development. 

Federated Farmers has called for ORC to delay notification of the new freshwater rules, due to be notified in October, and “lay the full costs bare for the community to see”.

Federated Farmers Otago president Luke Kane said the group has repeatedly questioned ORC about what the rules might cost farmers and how the council planned to apply the principle of Te Mana o te Wai under new water regulations.

The Minister’s letter requested information about what the plan could mean for specific industries like farming and forestry, but also for other groups like district and city councils, he said.

"It’s simply not good enough that that information hasn’t been provided," Luke said. "The council clearly either has no idea what the full cost to the community will be, or the costs are so astronomically high they don’t want to release them.

Gretchen Robertson said the council had approved a response to the minister’s letter following an extraordinary meeting of the council last week, but was not able to make it public yet.

ORC CEO Richard Saunders said the decision not to publicise its response was based on legal advice “which highlights risks to the current land and water plan process, should all information be released publicly at this time”.

“We will endeavour to release as much information as possible in the coming days. This will be available on the council website,” he said.

PHOTO: Supplied