Managing Tauranga's Stormwater: A Collaborative Approach

In the last five years Tauranga City Council (TCC) has obtained comprehensive stormwater consents for all of Tauranga city. As one of the fastest growing areas in New Zealand, Tauranga faces many stormwater management challenges with urban development, existing flooding issues, and diverse and sensitive receiving environments.

TCC is collaborating with the Bay of Plenty Regional Council (BoPRC) and community stakeholders to create a stormwater management framework and catchment management plans which will meet the current and future needs of this growing city.

This paper describes TCC’s inclusive approach to stormwater management. It covers the development of an overarching sub-regional flood risk management strategy in conjunction with BoPRC, Western Bay of Plenty District Council and community stakeholders which will set out roles, responsibilities and a whole of catchment approach for TCC’s stormwater catchment management planning.

Other key components of TCC’s stormwater management approach include collaboration with tangata whenua regarding cultural impacts and monitoring, working with BoPRC on pollution prevention initiatives, obtaining a Resource Management Act Delegation of Powers and TCC’s Pollution Prevention Bylaw. The low impact design philosophy underpinning TCC’s stormwater management approach is supported by the recently developed Stormwater Management Guideline, which is referenced through the Infrastructure Development Code.