The primary aim of water metering is to ensure sustainable management and use of our region's freshwater resource, protect it for the future, and acknowledge the fundamental importance of this water resource to us.
Resource consents to take ground and surface water have an allocation limit for water use. The metering and reporting of water use allows Council to monitor compliance with consent conditions and ensure these allocations are being adhered to.
Water metering regulations were first introduced in 2010. The regulations require any resource consent which allows extraction of 5 litres or more per second to measure and report on the amount of water extracted. The regulations apply to all types of takes.
To support the government's essential freshwater reforms the amended Resource Management (Measurement and Reporting of Water Takes) Regulations now make real-time reporting of water use mandatory for consented users, unless the Council elects not to require it. Tasman District Council has made a decision that at this stage it will not require real-time reporting except where resource consent conditions require telemetry.
The regulations are recognised in Council’s rules and in resource consents. If your water permit already requires your take to be metered, including takes of less than 5 litres per second, you must comply with the requirements in your permit conditions. All takes greater than 5 litres per second must comply with both consent conditions and regulations.
If you require a meter to be verified as accurate, a list of Irrigation NZ accredited local service providers is available below. These service providers are recognised as appropriately accredited and suitably qualified by the Council.
For more information on the Regulations please visit: Resource Management (Measurement and Reporting of Water Takes) Amendment Regulations 2020
If you have a resource consent to take water, you must send water meter readings on a weekly basis.
It is important that you:
The greatest compliance issue faced each summer season is late or missing readings. Council policy in the absence of a return or when a return is late is that staff may visit and read your meter. The costs will be recovered from the consent holder.
General water meter audits are undertaken by Council staff members every summer season. These are known as ‘anytime, anywhere’ water meter audits and they involve a Council staff member visiting your property to view the water meter.
Taking more water than what is allowed under your resource consent is an offence under the Resource Management Act and carries stiff penalties. Any non-compliance will be enforced appropriately in line with Council’s Enforcement Policy.
Tasman District Council Enforcement Policy and Guidelines (pdf 2.2 MB)
Irrigation New Zealand is promoting industry accreditation for the installation and verification of water meters.
The industry accreditation programme provides guidelines, training and an accredited status for quality service providers.
Some Resource Consents have conditions requiring the installation, testing and maintenance of backflow prevention devices by a ‘suitably qualified and experienced person’.
For the purpose of this condition, a ‘suitably qualified and experienced person’ is someone who is an Independently Qualified Person in regards to installing, testing and maintaining (irrigation appropriate) backflow prevention devices so they function effectively.
The current local options are:
Think Water Tasman Bay
Website: www.thinkwatertasmanbay.co.nz
Email: admin.tasmanbay@thinkwater.co.nz
Phone: 03 528 8888
Nelmac
Website: www.nelmac.co.nz
Email: service@nelmac.co.nz
Phone: 03 546 0910
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