Management of overflows and bypasses

The proposed approach was to establish risk-based planning, monitoring and reporting arrangements for wastewater network overflows and bypasses from wastewater treatment plants, including:

• requiring network operators to use wastewater risk management plans to identify where risks of overflows are and how they should be managed, controlled, monitored and eliminated
• imposing monitoring and reporting requirements for overflows from wastewater networks
• making all overflows a controlled activity under the RMA, consistent with proposed changes through the Local Government (Water Services) Act.

This standard will ensure there is more visibility, through consistent public reporting, about when, where and why overflows occur. Over time, we will consider how other tools should be used to reduce the frequency of overflows.

We will develop implementation support following enactment of the standards.