The Otago Regional Council’s Water Plan Change 6AA, which delays the date for new controls over contaminant and nitrogen discharges, takes effect on Saturday (May 16).

Regional councillors approved the plan change on April 22.

New rules controlling the concentration threshold of contaminant discharges and nitrogen leaching were supposed to be in place by April 1, 2020. 

Adopting Plan Change 6AA gives the regional council more time to complete a new Regional Land and Water Plan by April 1, 2026.

In the meantime, landowners will not have to get a short term resource consent to continue permitted activities.

Water Plan Change 6AA is one of several changes to regional plans that address deficiencies in water quality management.

Activities and land practices that degrade water quality are also being targeted in Water Plan Change 8 (discharge management) and in Waste Plan Change 1 (dust suppression and landfills).

Another swathe of plan changes are being considered in Water Permits Plan Change 7 and the Water Quality Plan Change (also referred to as the “Omnibus” plan change). 

The Environment Court will decide the “omnibus’’ changes after Environment Minister David Parker agreed to “call’’ them in.

Environment Minister David Parker

Last year the minister demanded the regional council overhaul its planning framework, after Professor Peter Skelton reported the council had underinvested in science, planning and hydrological modelling.

Peter said there had been a lack of clear and robust minimum flow regimes, a failure to address over-allocation of water takes and, despite having had a 30-year transition period, the council would not be able to meet the 2021 deadline for renewing Otago’s 100-year-old mining water permits.

The minister said the plan changes were of national significance. He outlined the steps the regional council needed to take to get a fit-for-purpose framework for freshwater management. 

The Environment Protection Authority will call for submissions on the plan changes before hearings are held in the Environment Court.

The majority of councillors have also agreed the Environment Protection Authority be consulted on the process for Water Plan Change 8 and Waste Plan Change 1. 

Regional council chairwoman Marian Hobbs said the council was grateful David Parker had agreed to the council’s request to call in the omnibus plan changes. 

“This will shorten the lengthy process of finalising plan changes, and deliver certainty for Otago communities much sooner,’’ Marian said.

The public can submit and participate in Environment Court hearings without a lawyer. The hearings will be held in Otago.

WAI – Water Action Initiative – (formerly the Upper Clutha Lakes Trust) may submit to the Environmental Protection Authority, manager Julie Perry said last week.

“WAI’s main focus will be the Water Quality Plan Changes, where we will be able to advocate for many of the actions in [our] community catchment plan.’’

Water takes and flows are outside the scope of WAI Wānaka’s work, she said.

WAI recently completed a community catchment plan for the Upper Clutha. It addresses current and future risks to freshwater resources.

PHOTOS: Supplied