Wastewater standards tranche 2
Have your say on proposed standards for managing odour from wastewater treatment plants and metals in treated wastewater discharged to water.
Have your say on proposed wastewater standards
The Authority is consulting on a proposed second tranche of wastewater environmental performance standards.
The proposed wastewater standards aim to provide a national approach for two matters that commonly arise in consenting: odour from discharges to air, and the presence of metals in discharges of treated wastewater from wastewater treatment plants.
The intention is to lift the overall performance of wastewater treatment infrastructure by setting clear, consistent and transparent expectations, while retaining a risk-based approach so requirements are proportionate to the level of risk.
We encourage you to read the discussion document and supporting technical advice.
We also encourage you to join one of two information sessions we are hosting on Monday 28 September and Friday 2 October. Please follow the links below to register.
- Monday 28 September: Add the webinar invite to your calendar hereoutbound
- Friday 2 October: Add the webinar invite to your calendar hereoutbound
We want to know whether you consider the proposed wastewater standards to be clear, practical, and proportionate for wastewater treatment plants with different risk profiles, to ensure the benefits of national wastewater standardisation can be achieved.
How to make a submission
Consultation is open for six weeks from 10 September 2026 to 5:00pm, 22 October 2026. You can make a submission by using one of the options below.
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Online survey formoutbound (either by filling in the survey questions online or uploading a PDF or Word document with your feedback).
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By post to Level 2, 10 Brandon Street, PO Box 628, Wellington 6140.
Please include your name and/or organisation and contact details when making a submission and indicate whether you are happy for your submission to be published once policy decisions have been made.
Once consultation closes, we will review submissions and consider whether submitters support the proposals, and whether further testing or changes are needed.
If agreed by the Minister of Local Government, and Cabinet, a final proposal of the standards will be made through regulations.