Update: This consultation has closed. Thank you to those who made submissions on this matter. We will summarise and analyse all the submissions to inform the finalisation of our bylaw proposal for further consideration by the Council. A summary of the engagement results will be made available on this page.
What does the bylaw do?
The Water Services Bylaw (Part 8: Water Services of the Wellington City Consolidated Bylaw) is a regulatory tool that addresses some key water services issues which are not sufficiently covered by other regulations or legislation. The bylaw includes requirements or regulations for:
connections to the public water supply
different types of water supply
ownership and maintenance responsibilities between the customer and the Council
compliance with water restrictions to manage demand, or during an emergency
backflow prevention, water meters, and flow restrictors
working around buried services.
Why are we reviewing the bylaw?
Under the Local Government Act 2002, the Council is required to review bylaws within set timeframes. If we don’t review the bylaw now, it will expire in August 2024.
What are the proposed changes to the bylaw?
Many parts of the current bylaw are functioning well and continue to be required, so we are not proposing changes in these areas. However, we have identified some necessary updates which fall under five key proposals:
Proposal 1: Five key updates to provide better protections for public water services infrastructure.
Proposal 2: Four key updates to ensure better alignment of water services matters within the Wellington region.
Proposal 3: Four key updates to reflect changes to legislative responsibilities since the introduction of Taumata Arowai (the national regulator for water services) and the Water Services Act 2021.
Proposal 4: Updates to existing definitions and the addition of new definitions for key terms used in the bylaw.
Proposal 5: Minor updates throughout the bylaw to improve readability, clarity, and flow.
Key drivers for these necessary updates include changes in the central government regulatory environment, the need to better protect public water services infrastructure, and opportunities to improve regional alignment.
Tell us what you think about the changes to the bylaw in the survey below. Submissions open on Tuesday, 12 March and close on Monday, 15 April 2024, midday.
What next?
Your feedback and comments will be analysed to inform the Council’s final decisions on the bylaw. A summary of the engagement results and how these were incorporated into the final decisions will be made available after the consultation period.
If you wish to make an oral submission to Councillors at the scheduled meeting on 2 May 2024, please indicate this in your submission and ensure that you have included your contact details. We will contact you to arrange a time for you to speak.
After addressing relevant public submissions and Councillors’ comments, the Council will decide whether to adopt the final bylaw on 6 June 2024.
Once the reviewed bylaw is in place, a further review will likely occur earlier than our standard timeframes to reflect requirements (including for wastewater and stormwater) of the Government’s ongoing Water Services Reform Programme.
Update: This consultation has closed. Thank you to those who made submissions on this matter. We will summarise and analyse all the submissions to inform the finalisation of our bylaw proposal for further consideration by the Council. A summary of the engagement results will be made available on this page.
What does the bylaw do?
The Water Services Bylaw (Part 8: Water Services of the Wellington City Consolidated Bylaw) is a regulatory tool that addresses some key water services issues which are not sufficiently covered by other regulations or legislation. The bylaw includes requirements or regulations for:
connections to the public water supply
different types of water supply
ownership and maintenance responsibilities between the customer and the Council
compliance with water restrictions to manage demand, or during an emergency
backflow prevention, water meters, and flow restrictors
working around buried services.
Why are we reviewing the bylaw?
Under the Local Government Act 2002, the Council is required to review bylaws within set timeframes. If we don’t review the bylaw now, it will expire in August 2024.
What are the proposed changes to the bylaw?
Many parts of the current bylaw are functioning well and continue to be required, so we are not proposing changes in these areas. However, we have identified some necessary updates which fall under five key proposals:
Proposal 1: Five key updates to provide better protections for public water services infrastructure.
Proposal 2: Four key updates to ensure better alignment of water services matters within the Wellington region.
Proposal 3: Four key updates to reflect changes to legislative responsibilities since the introduction of Taumata Arowai (the national regulator for water services) and the Water Services Act 2021.
Proposal 4: Updates to existing definitions and the addition of new definitions for key terms used in the bylaw.
Proposal 5: Minor updates throughout the bylaw to improve readability, clarity, and flow.
Key drivers for these necessary updates include changes in the central government regulatory environment, the need to better protect public water services infrastructure, and opportunities to improve regional alignment.
Tell us what you think about the changes to the bylaw in the survey below. Submissions open on Tuesday, 12 March and close on Monday, 15 April 2024, midday.
What next?
Your feedback and comments will be analysed to inform the Council’s final decisions on the bylaw. A summary of the engagement results and how these were incorporated into the final decisions will be made available after the consultation period.
If you wish to make an oral submission to Councillors at the scheduled meeting on 2 May 2024, please indicate this in your submission and ensure that you have included your contact details. We will contact you to arrange a time for you to speak.
After addressing relevant public submissions and Councillors’ comments, the Council will decide whether to adopt the final bylaw on 6 June 2024.
Once the reviewed bylaw is in place, a further review will likely occur earlier than our standard timeframes to reflect requirements (including for wastewater and stormwater) of the Government’s ongoing Water Services Reform Programme.
