New cost-cutting measures for wasterwater standards announced

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Local Government Minister has announced cost cutting measures for wastewater aimed at boosting savings for ratepayers.

New national wastewater environmental performances standards hope to save up to $830 million over the next 35 years by streamlining wastewater consents.

Minister Simon Watts said 60 percent of treatment plants needed new consents within the next decade, and many were already operating on expired consents.

“These standards that we’re announcing today will make sure consenting keeps pace with the needs for upgrades, avoids wasteful spending, and reduces the risk of wastewater overflows into rivers, lakes, and the sea,” he said.

Watts said the change removes unnecessary delays and costly over-engineering.

Councils would have a nationally consistent framework for renewing wastewater consents for the first time, Watts said.

The standards applied to over 330 publicly owned treatment plants across the country, and would immediately reduce the need for expensive, duplicated technical assessments.

Watts described the standards as a major step forward.

Reducing consenting costs by up to 40 percent per plant meant a potential saving of $300,000 to $600,000, and up to 60 percent for smaller plants, he said.

Speaking to media, Watts said the nationally consistent standards meant there was now a national minimum standard to uphold.

“There’s been a significant process of engagement across the broad sectors, as I outlined, in order to set these standards,” he said.

“The Water Services Authority is taking a leadership in regards to this, to ensure that we balance the needs in regards to environmental protection.”

The new standards come into effect on 19 December.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand