Year 2015

Health and Safety Reform Bill passes

The Health and Safety Reform Bill passed its third reading at parliament yesterday. The Bill creates a new Health and Safety at Work Act, which will come into force on 4 April 2016.

The Bill is the first significant reform of New Zealand’s health and safety laws in 20 years and addresses the recommendations of the Independent Taskforce on Workplace Health and Safety.
The new law will be supported by regulations that are being developed in time for April 2016.
WorkSafe New Zealand will provide information to businesses and workers of the changes before the law comes into force.
Until the Act comes into effect in April 2016, the current Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 remains in force.

Read the Government’s press release on the Beehive website

For more information about the new law visit WorkSafe New Zealand’s website

Oxfam Water Challenge 2016

The Oxfam Water Challenge is back for 2016! MWH Global walked away with the coveted trophy and a trip to the Pacific to see some of Oxfam’s WASH work in action last year – but now it’s your turn to steal the title of Oxfam Water Challenge Champions of 2016 and win a trip for yourself!

Oxfam are looking for 25 teams of four to raise $2,000; this will reach a target of $50,000 which will see WASH facilities installed in six rural health centres in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea, where mothers are currently required to fetch a 200 litre drum of dirty water in the throes of labour, and are vulnerable to disease from dirty medical instruments. But it’s not all about fundraising! As donations increase, teams will be given a design brief and incentives that will culminate in a Challenge Day (in Auckland, February 2016). All teams will come together to design, build and operate a solution to a water-based challenge. It’s a fun day where you can put your expertise to use and network with your peers in the sector.

The event officially launches at the Water New Zealand conference 16-18 September – make sure you pop along to the Oxfam stall to sign up and receive an exclusive 40% discount on entries!

For more information, check out www.oxfam.org.nz/OWC or contact Emily ( Emily.Pavey@oxfam.org.nz / 09 355 6501)

Status of the drinking water database project

The Ministry of Health has been looking to update the current Water Information for New Zealand (WINZ) database. This is to deliver an improved database for managing water supply information in line with the drinking water provisions of the Health Act.

As you know, in 2014 the Ministry of Health released a notice to prospective suppliers (NtPS) to gauge the market and gather information on the potential for a new solution. Since that time a business case has been approved and we are pleased to advise we are looking to purchase an improved drinking water database. The Ministry of Health released a request for proposals on the Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS) website today. It can be found at https://www.gets.govt.nz/MOH/ExternalTenderDetails.htm?id=15040489.

We have informed everyone who responded to the NtPS and/or enquired about progress of this. In terms of the size and scope of the project, we have included a number of pre-conditions for proposals to be considered. These are that the solution should be:

• available as an ‘off the shelf’ product requiring minimal configuration/customisation
• available as a software as a service solution
• costing less than $1.8M over the first 5 years and costing between approximately $2M-$3M over 15 years
• able to be implemented within 6-9 months.

ESR will continue to have an intergral role in the the scientific advice, analysis and reporting of information associated with drinking water supplies in NZ. This tender process seeks to have a new ICT provider develop, maintain and support an updated solution.

Please direct any enquiries on the RfP to waterdatabase@moh.govt.nz

Water New Zealand Supports Agreements Between Iwi Leaders and LGNZ

“As central government puts increasing responsibility on local and regional councils for managing regional assets like freshwater, it makes perfect sense for councils to be working more closely with important stakeholders like the Freshwater Iwi Leaders,” says John Pfahlert, CEO of Water New Zealand.

“Memorandums like this one will help ensure that relevant groups have a seat at the table when local policy is being developed."

“This is a positive step and shows that there will be even greater collaboration on a local level around key issues like freshwater management, water infrastructure and other important areas,” said Mr Pfahlert.

“There seems to be a general consensus that the best way forward for some of these issues is through greater transparency between stakeholders to reach mutually acceptable solutions. Memorandums like the one signed today helps formalise this.”

Iwi Rights and Interests in Water will be featured at Water New Zealand’s upcoming annual conference on 16 September in Hamilton with presentations by representatives from Ngai Tahu and Tainui.

Contact
John Pfahlert, CEO, Water New Zealand
P: 021 150 9763
E: ceo@waternz.org.nz

Water New Zealand is an independent not for profit association of approximately 1500 water professionals and organisations, focusing on the sustainable management and development of the water environment. It provides leadership in the water sector, through advocacy, provision of technical advice and professional development. It is the principal voice for the water sector. Its nationwide network of members represent many disciplines; physical and social sciences, public health, engineering, law and management. Water New Zealand attracts decision makers and technologists from central and local government, industry, the academic and research communities, consultants and service/equipment supply organisations, who exchange information about water and wastes issues.

Water New Zealand Calls for Government to Legislate Fluoridation in Drinking Water

Water New Zealand is encouraged by a recent report written by two New Zealand dental scientists which reveals that the majority of the public see the benefits of fluoride in drinking water.

“This report re-iterates what most sensible people know: that the science about the benefits of fluoride is robust and that most of us are in favour of having fluoride in our taps,” says John Pfahlert, CEO of Water New Zealand.

“What I don’t understand is that in the face of overwhelming evidence, from various reports and research, why the Government refuses to make fluoridation of public water compulsory,” said Mr Pfahlert.

“The Government has itself endorsed the use of fluoride. In 2014 the office of the Prime Ministers Chief Science Advisor issued a report which conclusively demonstrated the health benefits from fluoridation and that at the correct dosage, the risks were virtually non-existent.”

Water New Zealand, along with many other organistions such as Local Government New Zealand and the NZ Dental Association, believes that central Government should implement legislation insisting on nationwide fluoridation.

“The science is settled and it is time for central Government to step up and take a stand on the issue,” says Mr Pfahlert.

“It is a matter of public health and is therefore not something which should be decided on case by case by councils – it’s not a decision about whether to plant geraniums or gerberas in the main street of a local town, it’s about the wellbeing of all New Zealanders.”

Contact
John Pfahlert, CEO, Water New Zealand
P: 021 150 9763
E: ceo@waternz.org.nz

Water New Zealand is an independent not for profit association of approximately 1500 water professionals and organisations, focusing on the sustainable management and development of the water environment. It provides leadership in the water sector, through advocacy, provision of technical advice and professional development. It is the principal voice for the water sector. Its nationwide network of members represent many disciplines; physical and social sciences, public health, engineering, law and management. Water New Zealand attracts decision makers and technologists from central and local government, industry, the academic and research communities, consultants and service/equipment supply organisations, who exchange information about water and wastes issues.

Water New Zealand Supportive of Final Round of Drinking Water Subsidies for Small Communities – Urges for Further Funding

Water New Zealand believes that the $10 million in drinking water subsidies just issued in the final round of the Government’s scheme is an essential part of assisting New Zealand’s small communities.

“Everyone has a right to fresh drinking water – it should be a given in a first world country like ours,” says John Pfahlert, CEO of Water New Zealand. “The public health benefits to New Zealand are demonstrable, in that these subsidy schemes assist communities which are simply unable to finance these projects without external assistance.

“Community demand is as strong as ever for this subsidy support, especially small rural communities and marae. We therefore believe there is an ongoing need to continue assisting small communities in New Zealand to upgrade drinking water supplies. A second round of funded should be implemented.

“Given that standards for drinking water and waste water disposal are largely set at a national level, there is some responsibility on Central Government to support these communities. Local Government New Zealand recently passed a remit at their annual conference endorsing such an approach and calling for government funding of $20m to be made available to each of these schemes on an ongoing basis. Water New Zealand endorses this call.”

Contact John Pfahlert, CEO, Water New Zealand
P: 021 150 9763
E: ceo@waternz.org.nz

Water New Zealand is an independent not for profit association of approximately 1500 water professionals and organisations, focusing on the sustainable management and development of the water environment. It provides leadership in the water sector, through advocacy, provision of technical advice and professional development. It is the principal voice for the water sector. Its nationwide network of members represent many disciplines; physical and social sciences, public health, engineering, law and management. Water New Zealand attracts decision makers and technologists from central and local government, industry, the academic and research communities, consultants and service/equipment supply organisations, who exchange information about water and wastes issues.

Water New Zealand Congratulates Central Plains Water Stage 1

Water New Zealand congratulates Central Plains Water on the satisfactory completion of Stage 1 of the project on time.

“This large regional scale scheme will ensure a strong and vibrant farming community on the inner Canterbury plains and will support many more people in the community than historical dry land farming,” said John Pfahlert, CEO of Water New Zealand.

Water New Zealand sees this water infrastructure as key to New Zealand’s development, but emphasises the need to maintain environmental priorities.

“We note that Central Plains Water is expected to provide environmental benefits through restoration of water levels in lowland streams and Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere - but we also highlight the need for ongoing monitoring to ensure water quality does not degrade.

“Canterbury has important natural water systems. There have previously been water quality issues associated with the intensification of dairy farming which include the potential for increased phosphate and nitrogen leaching into natural water systems, especially groundwater,” says Mr Pfahlert. “It is therefore essential that ECAN, as the regulator, ensures appropriate monitoring and enforcement of resource consents going forward.

An ongoing farmer commitment to efficient irrigation practices would go a long way to achieving good environmental performance.

“The Government’s recent updates on the National Policy Statement on Freshwater and the National Objectives Framework will provide good guidelines for this,” says Mr Pfahlert.

Contact John Pfahlert, CEO, Water New Zealand
P: 021 150 9763
E: ceo@waternz.org.nz

Water New Zealand is an independent not for profit association of approximately 1500 water professionals and organisations, focusing on the sustainable management and development of the water environment. It provides leadership in the water sector, through advocacy, provision of technical advice and professional development. It is the principal voice for the water sector. Its nationwide network of members represent many disciplines; physical and social sciences, public health, engineering, law and management. Water New Zealand attracts decision makers and technologists from central and local government, industry, the academic and research communities, consultants and service/equipment supply organisations, who exchange information about water and wastes issues.

Water New Zealand Welcomes Government’s 30 Year Infrastructure Plan

Water New Zealand welcomes the Government’s initiatives for better developing and maintaining New Zealand’s 3 waters infrastructure announced today as part of the 30 Year Infrastructure Plan 2015.

Water New Zealand is a strategic partner of the Treasury’s National Infrastructure Unit which produced the report*.

“New Zealand’s urban centres are rapidly growing and it is very encouraging to see that Central Government is facing the infrastructure challenges head on with an increased focus on developing a better understanding of water related infrastructure assets,” said John Pfahlert, CEO of Water New Zealand.

“Standardising and centralising the management of some of our 3 water infrastructure assets is essential if New Zealand wants to ensure it maximises existing assets and that new water infrastructure is built effectively and for the benefit of all users.

“As part of this, Water New Zealand’s recommendation to establish shared metadata standards for the country’s $45 billion of existing 3 waters pipelines has been recognised.

“This will ensure we have a consistent information base across the councils for assessing the condition of pipes and will ensure greater consistency in the collection and reporting of the condition of these pipes. This is important for calculating the level of expenditure by councils and allowing comparisons between councils,” said Mr Pfahlert.

The plan also signals a positive response to Water New Zealand’s proposal for the development of a set of National Rainfall and Runoff Standards to improve hydraulic modelling by councils.

“The Standards we put forward are designed to be used by council staff and engineers in the private sector and will ultimately improve the resilience of both urban and rural infrastructure, reduce insurance claims and reduce the risks from flood damage,” said Mr Pfahlert.

Contact
John Pfahlert, CEO, Water New Zealand
P: 021 150 9763
E: ceo@waternz.org.nz

*Notes to Editor As a strategic partner, Water New Zealand’s CEO, John Pfahlert has comments included in the 30 Year Infrastructure Plan 2015: “Water New Zealand welcomes the 2015 Plan, and in particular the emphasis on the long term. Moving to ‘a resilient and coordinated’ infrastructure scenario will present challenges but is nevertheless a laudable goal. The Strategic Context described in part 2 of the Plan provides an excellent ‘scene setter’ for considering the current states of the particular infrastructure sectors. The description of the three waters sector is concise and highlights the key issues. The view of the current state of water infrastructure 30 years out identifies several scenarios for the future, a number of which we would expect to emerge well before 2045. The Plan is an important step in fostering a more informed discussion on our critical infrastructure and we congratulate the Board on a well-conceived document.”

Water New Zealand is an independent not for profit association of approximately 1500 water professionals and organisations, focusing on the sustainable management and development of the water environment. It provides leadership in the water sector, through advocacy, provision of technical advice and professional development. It is the principal voice for the water sector. Its nationwide network of members represent many disciplines; physical and social sciences, public health, engineering, law and management. Water New Zealand attracts decision makers and technologists from central and local government, industry, the academic and research communities, consultants and service/equipment supply organisations, who exchange information about water and wastes issues.

Water New Zealand Supports Councils’ Collaboration on Water Resilience

Water New Zealand supports the Wellington Water Committee’s move to taking a collaborative and regional approach to the challenge of getting Wellington’s water network up and running after a major incident announced today (Friday August 28, 2015).

Water New Zealand CEO John Pfarhlert says that since the Christchurch earthquake more people understand that ‘resilience matters’ – but not all.

“Building a resilient three waters delivery service begins with having a clear understanding of what service is to be delivered. The first step in the process is defining levels of service that are clearly communicated, understood and valued by the community that the system serves. It is upon this understanding that the service expectations, costs, risks and compromises can be agreed with a community.

“Moving to ‘a resilient and coordinated’ infrastructure scenario will present challenges but is a laudable goal,” he said.

Water NZ is working with University of Canterbury Quake Centre to identify and prepare guidelines on defining levels of service which communities can expect to see delivered post quakes.

Contact John Pfahlert, CEO, Water New Zealand
P: 021 150 9763
E: ceo@waternz.org.nz

Water New Zealand is an independent not for profit association of approximately 1500 water professionals and organisations, focusing on the sustainable management and development of the water environment. It provides leadership in the water sector, through advocacy, provision of technical advice and professional development. It is the principal voice for the water sector. Its nationwide network of members represent many disciplines; physical and social sciences, public health, engineering, law and management. Water New Zealand attracts decision makers and technologists from central and local government, industry, the academic and research communities, consultants and service/equipment supply organisations, who exchange information about water and wastes issues.

Oxfam Water Challenge 2016

Water New Zealand is thrilled to be supporting the Oxfam Water Challenge this year and promoting it to our members. Have you heard about the challenge? Maybe you took part last year, or want to learn more?

This week Oxfam will be launching the Oxfam Water Challenge 2015/16 at the Water New Zealand conference – and we want you to be a part of it! This is an event you won’t want to miss so make sure you visit the Oxfam stand to sign up – you’ll get 40% off the registration fee when you sign up at conference.

Building on the fantastic event last year, the Oxfam Water Challenge will see 25 teams of 4 colleagues from companies get together and raise $2,000 – this will help them reach a collective target of $50,000, the amount we need to install clean water and sanitation facilities across six health centres in Papua New Guinea.

But it’s not all about fundraising! As your donations increase, your team will be given incentives and clues that will culminate in a Challenge Day in Auckland in February. We will be bringing all teams together to design, plan and construct a solution to our brand new water-based challenge.

This is your chance to prove you’re the best in the business whilst having loads of fun – and win a chance to see some of our projects in the Pacific while you’re at it! As you’ll see – the 2014/15 winners, MWH Auckland Avengers, got a lot out of their involvement last year:

"When MWH entered two teams in the Oxfam Water Challenge last year, we thought it was just a way to raise money for a good cause but we got so much more. We learned skills in fundraising, publicity, team work, innovation and project management — plus a greater understanding of the challenges of working in developing countries."

– Sarah Davies, MWH Global

Is your company good enough to steal the trophy from last year’s winners – MWH Global? If you have any questions about the event, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Oxfam. If you can’t make it along to the Water New Zealand conference, use this exclusive promotion code to ensure you can still secure that 40% off the registration fee: WATERNZ (valid until 18 ^th September, 2015).

If you have any questions or would like to find out more, don’t hesitate to get in touch or check out Oxfam’s website: oxfam.org.nz/owc

Please contact:

Emily.pavey@oxfam.org.nz , call on 0800 600 700 or visit oxfam.org.nz/owc to download fundraising materials and get the latest information on the Oxfam Water Challenge.

Water New Zealand Welcomes Court Decision

Wednesday, 9 September 2015, 12:22 pm

Press Release: Water New Zealand

Water New Zealand welcomes court decision to reject appeal by fluoride opponents

Water New Zealand has welcomed the decision by Justice Kos in the High Court (4 Sept) to reject an appeal by opponents of water fluoridation.

“This is the fourth time in two years that opponents of public water fluoridation have lost cases in the courts,” says John Pfahlert, CEO of Water New Zealand.

Lobby organisation, New Health, had been seeking to overturn Government regulations specifying that fluoridating agents used for the fluoridation of drinking water are not medicines made for the purposes of the Medicines Act.

“What they are really trying to do is undermine public confidence in a scientifically accepted means of improving public dental health,” said Mr Pfahlert. “The six grounds on which New Health sought relief from the Court have all been dismissed.”

Mr Pfahlert said that a 2014 scientific paper by the Office of the Prime Minister’s Science Advisor and the Royal Society clearly demonstrated the case for fluoridation of public water.

The report concluded that there is compelling evidence that fluoridation at the recommended levels produces broad benefits for dental health.

Mr Pfahlert said that the panel which undertook the review was unanimous in that there are no adverse effects of fluoride of any significance from fluoridation at the levels used in New Zealand.

In particular the paper stated: “No effects on brain development, cancer risk or cardiovascular or metabolic risk have been substantiated, and the safety margins are such that no subset of the population is at risk because of fluoridation.” The report concluded that the scientific issues raised by those opposed to fluoridation are not supported by evidence.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

View the full Scoop article here.

Water Conference Takes on Major Importance

Tuesday, 15 September 2015, 3:49 pm
Press Release: Pacific Water and Waste Water Association

Water Conference Takes on Major Importance

In what could be the most important event in its 20-year history, the Pacific Water and Waste Water Association (PWWA) is meeting for its annual conference in Papua New Guinea from September 14 – 17 to explore critical issues that are posing a serious challenge to its member countries.

PWWA is comprised of 22 member countries operating 26 water and wastewater facilities.

The Association Chairman, Opetaia Ravai, who is also the CEO of the Water Authority of Fiji, said that the conference agenda is crowded with concerns that demand attention, even though there are no easy solutions.

“Climate change and the resulting rising of the sea level, the infiltration of sea water into boreholes affecting the smaller island countries, especially in the northern Pacific region. Lack of capacity building, tariff sustainability, serious infrastructure upgrade requirements, must be tackled and mitigated against to achieve our vision of “shaping a cohesive proficient and robust Pacific water sector.

“Improved communications are essential to share with policy makers, as well as the public, these challenges and developments that will more intensely affect all of us in the coming days.

“Because of these ever expanding issues we are reviewing the way we operate, to restructure the Secretariat, to explore the possibility of PWWA becoming a part of the CROP agencies enhancing our association with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.

He said that the conference would benefit from the inclusion of regional Government Infrastructure Ministers who are also in PNG attending the Pacific Forum meeting, and who will also attend PWWA. Included is Fiji’s Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Hon Vijay Nath gathering to discuss water issues and he will also be speaking on Thursday.

“I understand that they will be addressing issues confronting the region, and they will be directly involved in the discussions, and that alone has made this conference very, very important.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Freshwater Management 'at Crucial Point'

Andrew McRae, for Te Manu Korihi - andrew.McRae@radionz.co.nz

Water experts have been told ensuring that the governance and management of freshwater recognises Maori interests is a critical challenge for New Zealand

Julian Williams (right, Waikato-Tainui) and Ricky Ellison (Ngai Tahu) at the Water New Zealand Conference in Hamilton.

Photo: RNZ / Andrew McRae

Rahui Papa, the chair of Waikato-Tainui's executive board Te Arataura, made the comment at the Water New Zealand conference currently being held in Hamilton.

An iwi leaders' forum has been in discussion with the government to make sure iwi, hapu and whanau rights and interests in freshwater are not ignored.

Rahui Papa (file photo)

Photo: RNZ / Andrew McRae

Mr Papa, who is a member of the forum, told the conference that wai is an inseparable part of whakapapa and identity for Maori.

He said the future health and wellbeing of lakes, rivers and streams was of utmost importance to iwi.

Mr Papa said the Crown and iwi have agreed on a process to resolve the issue because it could not be ignored.

"The iwi leadership group firmly believe that the direct engagement with the Prime Minister and senior government ministers would deliver the most beneficial outcome at this time.

"We strongly believe that seeking to resolve these issues through the court should only be a pathway of last resort."

He added that the current freshwater management framework failed to recognise and provide for Maori rights, interests and responsibilities in relation to freshwater.

Waikato-Tainui's approach to the Waikato River: "She is ours and we are hers."

Photo: 123RF

Julian Williams, who works for Waikato-Tainui's environment unit, said the move from local to national decision-making on freshwater recognised iwi as a full partner with the Crown.

Mr Williams said, for Waikato-Tainui, the definition of ownership and control of the Waikato River was clear.

"The way we describe it is that, as a responsibility, she is ours, she is mine to look after, she is mine to care for - and she owns us, so ownership, in that sense to us, means that she is ours and we are hers.

"We just need to use tools to get greater recognition around decision-making."

Mr Williams said the foundation of any framework for freshwater management must be based on the Treaty of Waitangi and recognise the relationship between iwi, hapu and marae to their waterways.

"This relationship we are trying to establish, we are working on with the Crown, will not usurp the mana of any other tribe or hap?.

"This is trying to get everyone at the same level of discussions. How can we learn from each other and get everyone to start on the same level, so that our whanau that are negotiating settlements don't have to waste negotiation cards on things that they should naturally be entitled to?"

'Everybody wants to be able to swim in their rivers'

Ricky Ellison, from Ngai Tahu, said most people had a simple request when it came to freshwater.

"Everybody wants to be able to swim in their rivers. We want to be able to go down and catch trout or whitebait or whatever your mahinga kai, your traditional foods are.

"When we go out and talk to the community, that is the sort of discussion they want to engage in. We want to be able to swim, we want [to take] our kids to the river and not be in danger when they actually jump in rather than just paddle on the side in their gumboots.

"We are not saying we want everything. We want a fair share of what that water is, similar to what we did with fisheries, we have done with aquaculture. We have created [the] certainty that everybody needs for that industry to move forward," he said.

Two series of regional hui on freshwater have now been held and a third is being planned for November.

View the full article on Radio New Zealand News

Community Invited to Play its Part in Local Water Management

People throughout Canterbury are being invited to express their interest in joining one of the water management committees set up as part of the collaborative Canterbury Water Management Strategy.

Seven of Canterbury’s ten zone committees are now calling for applications from interested community members. The committees are: Kaikoura; Hurunui-Waiau; Selwyn-Waihora; Christchurch-West Melton; Ashburton; Orari-Opihi-Pareora; and Banks Peninsula.

The remaining three zone committees (Upper Waitaki, Lower Waitaki – South Coastal Canterbury and Waimakariri) have all had recent membership changes.

Christina Robb, Programme Manager Canterbury Water Management Strategy, said the committees are looking for new people who can see others’ points of view and who can work collaboratively to find solutions for water issues.

“The zone committees are now focused on local actions to deliver the gains envisaged when the Canterbury Water Management Strategy was launched in 2009. Since 2009 or 2010 the committees have been working with their communities to find innovative ways to improve local freshwater management.

“This includes encouraging good management practices from all land users, work to improve biodiversity and ecosystems, as well as improving urban stormwater quality. Zone committees are also working with councils on environmental limits - how much water can be taken and how much nutrient can be discharged - and improved rules.

“The work going on as part of the Strategy will help to ensure safe drinking water supplies, sustainable farming practices and clean rivers and streams, as well as enhancing recreational opportunities and protecting environment and cultural values.

“We are sure there are many people in Canterbury who are passionate about making a positive difference in water management and we encourage them to put their names forward to ensure new perspectives are reflected,” she said.

The refresh process enables two community members each year to be replaced or reappointed. Candidates must be able to attend the committee meetings, and live in or have a significant relationship with the zone or region they are applying for.

If you would like more information or want to fill out an expression of interest form please visit www.ecant.govt.nz/canterburywarter or phone Environment Canterbury Customer Services on 0800 324 636.

Expressions of interest are due by 15 October and candidates will be notified in mid-late October if they have

View the full article on Environment Canterbury Regional Councils website.

Information on Health and Safety for Business

The guideline is designed to provide directors with advice on how they can influence health and safety performance in their organisations. It is an essential resource for directors providing information on director responsibilities, the role of directors in health and safety, diagnostic questions and actions for directors as well as case studies and a checklist.

The guideline is available in an electronic format below. If you would like to request a hardcopy of the document please email us.

The Institute of Directors has also produced a summary version of the guideline which can be downloaded below. In addition, the diagnostic questions and actions for directors are available as separate resources below.

View the guideline here.

Levels of Service Performance Measures for the Seismic Resilience of Three Waters Network Delivery

Levels of Service Performance Measures for the Seismic Resilience of Three Waters Network Delivery

Context

Learning from the Christchurch Earthquake sequence and other disasters has highlighted the need for New Zealand’s 3 Waters Services to be seismically resilient. In the context of these guidelines the key aspects of a resilient system are:

• Robust physical assets with key network routes having appropriate alternatives, and response arrangements in place
• Effective co-ordination arrangements (pre- and post-event)
• Realistic end-user expectations and appropriate measures of backup arrangements.

Purpose of the Levels of Service Performance Measures

The Levels of Service Performance Measures for the Seismic Resilience of 3 Waters Network Delivery provides a framework which may be used by engineers and asset managers to define the current or potential operating stage of any part, or parts, of a 3 waters network in the event of, or planning for, a significant earthquake. They are designed to be used in a number of ways:

• As a communication tool to explain the network status to communities and their leaders.
• As an aid to tracking recovery to normal Levels of Service after damage caused by a seismic event.
• A management tool to assist engineers and asset managers to explain the investment needs to improve the resilience of networks.

This document provides guidance on definitions of different stages of recovery and how to use the guidelines to develop target Levels of Service related to these stages. Appendix A: Templates for Target LoS for critical services provides a tool to assist in collating the target Levels of Service for potable, waste and storm water as the recovery transitions from stage to stage. Appendix B: LoS impacts on critical services, identifies a number of critical services that will need to be prioritised when considering seismic resilience.

This document is intended to be the first in a series of guidelines, with future documents providing guidance on assessing system vulnerability, estimating the durations to restore service and the design and implementation of works to improve resilience.

View the document here.

Feedback on water industry training required

Help shape the direction of water and environment training provision. The New Zealand Water and Environment Training Academy (NZWETA) is undertaking a strategic review of operations. Water New Zealand members are invited to take this two minute survey to help us ensure that our training matches your needs. Responses are required by October 9 ^th.

Water Management not Planned for - Experts

A team of experts is putting together a policy on how communities will best access water in the event of a major earthquake, because no local authority currently has a formal plan.

New Zealand councils are being urged to create plans for water management in the aftermath of a major earthquake.

Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades

Water New Zealand, Opus International Consultants and Canterbury University's Quake Centre said they hoped councils would incorporate the policy into their strategies.

Water New Zealand's chief executive John Pfahlert said most people never thought about the functioning of water pipeline systems until they failed.

He said there was no formal plan in the country to manage water infrastructure after a disaster, except the standard Civil Defence response system - and that was not enough.

"It's not giving any particular thought to specific types of infrastructure and how you might actually approach the management of particular types of infrastructure, so this is a bit of a gap which we're trying to fill here."

Water priority groups, such as for people in rest homes and hospitals, needed to be established, Mr Pfahlert said.

"They need a fairly immediate access to water, perhaps two or three days' worth straight away," he said.

"But for people who are mobile, it might be perfectly acceptable to them to walk with a plastic container to a tanker that sits on a corner, and that might be the situation for several months for some people."

The current replacement value of the water pipeline assets throughout New Zealand is about $45 billion.

Mr Pfahlert said some councils should consider upgrading to more resilient infrastructure in preparation for natural disasters.

"They might advance an infrastructure spend by many years to make sure that, in the event of a disaster, they are better prepared and that the pipes in the ground are not going to get as damaged as those in Christchurch."

View the full article on Radio New Zealand News website.

Water New Zealand supports agreements between Iwi Leaders and LGNZ

“As central government puts increasing responsibility on local and regional councils for managing regional assets like freshwater, it makes perfect sense for councils to be working more closely with important stakeholders like the Freshwater Iwi Leaders,” says John Pfahlert, CEO of Water New Zealand.

“Memorandums like this one will help ensure that relevant groups have a seat at the table when local policy is being developed.

“This is a positive step and shows that there will be even greater collaboration on a local level around key issues like freshwater management, water infrastructure and other important areas,” said Mr Pfahlert.

“There seems to be a general consensus that the best way forward for some of these issues is through greater transparency between stakeholders to reach mutually acceptable solutions. Memorandums like the one signed today helps formalise this.”

Iwi Rights and Interests in Water will be featured at Water New Zealand’s upcoming annual conference on 16 September in Hamilton with presentations by representatives from Ngai Tahu and Tainui.

Ends

Contact
John Pfahlert,
CEO, Water New Zealand,
021 150 9763

Water New Zealand is an independent not for profit association of approximately 1500 water professionals and organisations, focusing on the sustainable management and development of the water environment. It provides leadership in the water sector, through advocacy, provision of technical advice and professional development. It is the principal voice for the water sector. Its nationwide network of members represent many disciplines; physical and social sciences, public health, engineering, law and management. Water New Zealand attracts decision makers and technologists from central and local government, industry, the academic and research communities, consultants and service/equipment supply organisations, who exchange information about water and wastes issues.

Models look at costs of improving water quality

Press Release: Healthy Rivers - Plan for Change

Models look at potentially “very large” costs of improving water quality

A group of technical experts has produced computer models of the land use and management changes potentially required to achieve water quality targets for the Waikato and Waipa rivers, and their tributaries.

The models also look at the possible economic impacts of implementing changes, such as switching from farming to forestry or less intensive farming.

The models indicate “very large” changes to land management practices and land use will be needed to meet the legally binding Crown-iwi Vision and Strategy for the two rivers, which aims to have them safe to swim in and take food from along their entire length, said NIWA’s Dr Bryce Cooper, the chair of a Technical Leaders Group (TLG).

Four broad scenarios were modelled:

1. having the rivers OK for swimming, taking food and healthy biodiversity

2. no further water quality decline and improvements in some areas

3. a general improvement in water quality for swimming, taking food and healthy biodiversity

4. no further degradation.

“The team which has produced the models stresses the actions needed to achieve the improvements in water quality are expected to be implemented over time,” said Dr Cooper.

“The team also stresses the models are a first foundation and just one of the inputs that will be used for plan development purposes. They are not suggested outcomes. It’s expected the next run of scenarios modelled will result in revised figures.”

Improving the quality of the rivers is very complex requiring a robust process where key stakeholders can work out solutions based on solid technical information.

The modelling has been carried out as part of the Healthy Rivers: Plan for Change/Wai Ora: He Rautaki Whakapaipai project, which involves the regional council and river iwi working with stakeholders to develop changes to the regional plan to protect and restore the rivers. The aim of a plan change will be to reduce, over time, sediment, bacteria, nitrogen and phosphorus from entering water bodies (including groundwater). The TLG provides expert advice to this process.

The project’s Collaborative Stakeholder Group (CSG) – which includes representatives from the likes of farming, industry, iwi and local government – will use the models to help develop a recommended plan change.

“The CSG will naturally be taking the economic impact, as well as community and social impacts, of any measures it will propose into account in its deliberations,” said the group’s independent chair Bill Wasley.

“We will use the models as we develop a recommended plan change, which is due to be put before the Waikato Regional Council and river iwi partners next year.

“We want the public to understand the sorts of trade-offs involved in protecting water quality as the plan change process engages with the community in the months ahead about the best way forward,” Mr Wasley said.

He added the CSG is aware of the modelling’s limitations and is using its results for the purpose for which it’s been designed. The model projects total costs, uses an average year and average values, and its sophistication provides results to a subcatchment level. The CSG are having ongoing discussions and are testing the model more through the running of further scenarios.

ENDS

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View the full article here.

Lake Water Quality Goes Online

Information on the water quality of lakes around the country will now be available online as part of an ongoing initiative between the Government, regional councils and the Tindall Foundation, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith announced today.

“Lakes are popular places for swimming and boating, and particularly with the summer months fast approaching, we want the many thousands of New Zealanders who visit them each year to have access to good, reliable information on the health of our lakes around the country. This is why lakes data is the next step for the LAWA website, which already provides data on our rivers and coastal waters,” Dr Smith says.

Dr Smith made today’s announcement with Local Government New Zealand regional sector group chair Stephen Woodhead. The new data on lakes will be live on the website from today.

“The value of transparent, real time data on lake water quality is that it will help communities become better custodians of their local water bodies. I welcome people making comparisons across the country on how well they are caring for their local lake as motivation for New Zealand to lift its game around water quality,” Dr Smith says.

The Land, Air, Water Aotearoa (LAWA) website ( www.lawa.org.nz) is a national monitoring website launched in March 2014 in collaboration with 16 regional and unitary councils, the Cawthron Institute and the Ministry for the Environment. It is also supported by the Tindall Foundation.

“The LAWA initiative is part of the Government’s programme of improving information on the quality of our environment. Parliament this week passed the Environmental Reporting Act which will, for the first time, require fair and accurate reports on the state of our environment and give greater integrity to New Zealand’s clean, green brand. It is a truism that we manage what we measure. This new information on lake water quality will help lift management,” Dr Smith says.

“The Government’s plan for improving New Zealand freshwater management involves new national regulations, funding support for clean-ups and better reporting. We will be releasing a discussion paper in 2016 on the next steps we will be taking to support cleaner lakes and rivers.”

View the full article here.

High Cost in Cleaning up Waikato's Waterways

Fluoride Free New Zealand Statement

Press Release: Fluoride Free New Zealand

Industry Waste Exec Demands Increase of Toxic Fluoride Disposal, Via Nationwide Fluoride in Drinking WaterPress Release: Fluoride Free New Zealand

John Pfahlert, Water New Zealand's CEO, has made repeated calls to roll out nationwide mandatory fluoridation, over-riding communities that have already rejected the outdated practice, or have remained happily free from fluoridation. Water New Zealand is an industry lobby group, formed from the now dissolved New Zealand Sewage and Industrial Wastes Association, so it comes as no surprise that this group would lobby for an increase in the disposal of Industrial Grade fluoride chemicals into the public water supply.

The Industrial Grade Fluoride most widely used in fluoridation is Hydrofluorosilicic Acid. HFA is the liquid by-product from the collection of two toxic gases, Hydrogen Fluoride and Silicon Tetra-Fluoride. It contains contaminants of heavy metals such as arsenic, lead and sometimes, uranium.

The president of Water New Zealand is also the Group Manager for Engineering Services at South Taranaki District Council. This Council has been embroiled in a legal battle costing hundreds of thousands of dollars since they were taken to court after trying to force fluoridation on Patea and Waverley residents who had said they did not want it.

Fluoride itself is now categorised as a neurotoxin, as published in The Lancet, last year. Kent University’s Thyroid Study this year, showed water fluoridation increased hypothyroidism in women by 60% in fluoridated communities.

This waste management, spin doctor, and industry front man is now making the mistake of publicly outing one of the real reasons behind water fluoridation: industry waste disposal

ENDS

© Scoop Media

View the full article here.

Concerns about water quality computer-modelling

Waikato Federated Farmers is warning that there would be a massive impact on the local economy if computer-modelling to improve water quality in the region was followed through.

The modelling has been produced to look at the impacts of implementing changes, such as land-use and in particular moving away from dairying.

Photo: Wikicommons

It is estimated it would cost anywhere between $1 and nearly $8 billion over a 25-year period to clean up the Waikato and Waipa rivers and their tributaries.

It is based on scenarios ranging from making the rivers suitable for swimming, fishing and healthy biodiversity, to no further water quality decline, but with some improvements, or just holding-the-line with no further degradation.

Scenario one would require a 22 percent reduction in dairying.

Waikato Federated Farmers president Chris Lewis said it would halve the region's gross domestic product.

"...in food processing, agricultural support industries, retail trade, manufacturing, agriculture and other professional services, so this is something which will be concerning not just for farmers, but the whole urban population, the whole community and it could lead to a massive amount of job losses and depopulation of the region I think."

He said it was always easy to point the blame at the farming sector.

"Farmers have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in Waikato on improving their situations. Most farmers tell me all they want is an even playing field.

"What is good for the rural community has to be the same rules for the urban community and if that happened, I think the urban population may not be very happy because some of the district councils will have to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to get to the same level of rules that farmers have."

He said improvements could still be made to the environmental impact of farming.

"I look at my own farm and I have spent about $300,000 but I still see a few things where I can improve on.

"We have that in our plans when the pay-out comes right to keep improving and with new technologies and hopefully new scientific breakthroughs, these issues will get a lot easier."

LGNZ outlines 'best practice water infrastructure options'

Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) has released its 3 Waters project position paper Improving New Zealand's water, wastewater and stormwater sector to the local government sector today and is seeking its feedback as part of a consultation process.

This paper represents the next stage in the 3 Waters project to better understand the state of three waters infrastructure, the challenges that lie ahead and options for delivering a best practice water infrastructure system.

LGNZ President Lawrence Yule says the paper is the culmination of previous work under the 3 Waters project and outlines what a world class water infrastructure network could look like.

"This position paper builds on the momentum of the 3 Waters project and describes how a ‘strong, sector-led approach’ is needed to put an improved regulatory framework in place to assist the potable and wastewater service providers in addressing key issues over time," says Mr Yule.

"The paper also draws attention to the unique challenges facing the third water, stormwater, when considering possible pathways to improve sector performance," says Mr Yule.

LGNZ’s National Council will consider submissions to its position paper later this year.

View the full article here.

Water New Zealand 2016 Stormwater Conference - Call for Abstracts Open

Opinion: Piping report as important as building report

John Pfahlert, CEO of Water New Zealand says: House buyers should be hiring plumbers and drain layers to inspect pipes as they do builders to complete building reports when considering buying property.

Just like a building report should protect you from buying a leaky house a plumbing report should protect you from taking on leaky or broken pipes on the property.

This advice becomes more applicable every year in New Zealand with a quarter of piping now more than 50 years old and in need of renewal. Like anything over time the pipes that carry drinking water, wastewater and stormwater degrade and require either maintenance or replacement.

Many Kiwi homeowners are oblivious that sewer and stormwater pipes on private property are their responsibility to maintain.

Recently a Wellington woman made the news when she had to pay $22,000 to repair a wastewater pipe outside her boundary that connected her house to the council main.

Under the Local Government Act the typical situations are: A single lateral connection to the sewer is the responsibility of the property’s owner until it crosses the property boundary into council property e.g. road reserve. In most but not all cases, Councils take responsibility for the asset in their property.

If 2 laterals join e.g. a subdivided property, and the join is within private property then downstream of the join is deemed a sewer and becomes Council liability even when it is within private property.

Council can issue a notification to a private owner to fix their lateral if it is causing a problem and, if they don’t, undertake works to ensure compliance. Council can do the work and charge the owner. Some councils allow easy payment options for this but that is at council’s discretion. In some cases councils do the work and pay themselves - for example they may be trying to reduce the inflow and infiltration into their sewer network and decide it’s in their interest in having the work done.

Technically, all councils can legally force homeowners to repair private wastewater and stormwater pipes right up to the council main, but some councils choose to bear the cost.

House buyers need to ask the council in their area its policy on who covers the cost of repairs that extend beyond a property boundary. But they should also be aware councils could change this policy at any stage as Wellington City did in 2005 "gifting" the city’s lateral pipes back to homeowners.

Water New Zealand advocates anyone considering buying a home should employ a plumber to do a drainage report on the condition of wastewater and stormwater pipes, from the house boundary to where it joins the public network.

You might just be avoiding a very large and unexpected bill.

To understand better what happens when you flush and your responsibilities as a homeowner Gisborne District Council has a great video: youtu.be/fSGqdG59XTU

View the full article here.

Water Operations Professionals

At the annual conference Connexis and Water New Zealand launched a CPD scheme for water professionals working in the sector. The scheme is open to those with National Certificates or Diplomas in water or wastewater treatment. The first stage of the project was to solicit from companies any course they have which they wish to be considered for inclusion in the CPD scheme. Registering the course can be done at www.connexis.org.nz/wop-registrations. Those who want to talk to someone at Connexis about the scheme should call Annie Yeates on 027 440 0129

The next phase will be to seek registrations of interest from those water professionals currently working in the industry who wish to join the CPD scheme. Keep an eye out for information on this process.

Letters to the Editor - Self Serving

3 Waters Infrastructure Planning

Piping report as important as building report for house buyers

House buyers should be hiring plumbers and drain layers to inspect pipes as they do builders to complete building reports when considering buying property.

Just like a building report should protect you from buying a leaky house a plumbing report should protect you from taking on leaky or broken pipes on the property.

This advice becomes more applicable every year in New Zealand with a quarter of piping now more than 50 years old and in need of renewal. Like anything over time the pipes that carry drinking water, wastewater and stormwater degrade and require either maintenance or replacement.

Many Kiwi homeowners are oblivious that sewer and stormwater pipes on private property are their responsibility to maintain.

Recently a Wellington woman made the news when she had to pay $22,000 to repair a wastewater pipe outside her boundary that connected her house to the council main.

Under the Local Government Act the typical situations are:

• A single lateral connection to the sewer is the responsibility of the property’s owner until it crosses the property boundary into council property e.g. road reserve. In most but not all cases, Councils take responsibility for the asset in their property.

• If 2 laterals join e.g. a subdivided property, and the join is within private property then downstream of the join is deemed a sewer and becomes Council liability even when it is within private property.

• Council can issue a notification to a private owner to fix their lateral if it is causing a problem and, if they don’t, undertake works to ensure compliance. Council can do the work and charge the owner. Some councils allow easy payment options for this but that is at council’s discretion. In some cases councils do the work and pay themselves – for example they may be trying to reduce the inflow and infiltration into their sewer network and decide it’s in their interest in having the work done.

Technically, all councils can legally force homeowners to repair private wastewater and stormwater pipes right up to the council main, but some councils choose to bear the cost.

House buyers need to ask the council in their area its policy on who covers the cost of repairs that extend beyond a property boundary. But they should also be aware councils could change this policy at any stage as Wellington City did in 2005 “gifting” the city’s lateral pipes back to homeowners.

Water New Zealand advocates anyone considering buying a home should employ a plumber to do a drainage report on the condition of wastewater and stormwater pipes, from the house boundary to where it joins the public network.

You might just be avoiding a very large and unexpected bill.

To understand better what happens when you flush and your responsibilities as a homeowner Gisborne District Council has a great video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSGqdG59XTU

Check, or big costs could be down pipeline

Renwick losing 300,000 litres a day

ELENA MCPHEE

NZ's Work Health and Safety laws are changing. Be prepared! Download our free ebook!

Tragically, every year in New Zealand, 10 per cent of workers are harmed, 75 people die at work and around 600-900 employees pass away due to work-related diseases.

The high injury and fatality rates, significant work related disasters and changes to working arrangements led to a Taskforce being established in 2012 by the NZ Minister of Labour to review NZ's work safety laws. Following the Taskforce Report and Parliamentary Review, the revised Health and Safety reform Bill was passed by Parliament in August 2015.

The new legislation will come into play on the 4th April 2016.

New Zealand's new laws will more closely reflect contemporary working arrangements and represent a common set of standards and expectations nationally with the objective of reducing fatalities and injuries.

To assist businesses in New Zealand prepare for the changes, Manage Company in partnership with WorkPro have developed an ebook 'New Zealand's Work Health and Safety Future' containing valuable information, resources and tools.

As one of our Partner Associations, Referral Partner or fellow Business Support Agency, I would like to offer you this ebook to openly share with your members and / or clients. It is a free resource and if our soft launch last Friday is anything to go by uptake will be large.

CLICK HERE

The e-book covers the following topics:

• Objectives of Change
• What is Work Health and Safety?
• Duty Holders and Duties
• Multiple Duty Holders
• Worker Participation and Reasonably Practicable
• Common Terms, Definitions and Obligations
• Safety at Host Sites for On-Hire Workers
• Regulator’s Expectations vs PCBU Obligations
• Compliance and Enforcement
• ACC and WorkSafe
• Fulfilling an Officer’s Due Diligence Obligations
• Checklists for Labour Hire/Recruitment Firms when engaging on-hired workers

Standards and Accreditation Bill - Third Reading

The Standards and Accreditation Bill received its Third Reading in Parliament on 15 October 2015.

Once it has received Royal assent, preparations for putting the new arrangements in place for the development and approval of and access to New Zealand standards will commence.

These include:

• establishing a new independent statutory board (the New Zealand Standards Approval Board) to approve New Zealand standards and membership of standards development committees
• establishing an independent Statutory Officer (the New Zealand Standards Executive)
• retaining and strengthening key elements of the current arrangements, such as codifying in legislation the role of balanced committees of technical experts in developing standards
• locating the standards development function in the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to ensure closer alignment with government objectives such as economic growth, international trade, innovation and health and safety
• strengthening the existing cost recovery model arrangements, by providing for full lifecycle costing of standards
• improving access to standards
• better reflecting the Testing Laboratory Registration Council’s accreditation activities, including renaming the Council the Accreditation Council.

Timing

The changes to accreditation will come into effect the day after the Bill receives Royal assent from the Governor-General.

The new arrangements for the development and approval of and access to standards will take effect within six months of the passing of the Bill, or sooner by Order Of Council. MBIE will shortly commence recruitment for the New Zealand Standards Approval Board.

Transition

Standards New Zealand will continue to provide support for standards development, approval and access in the meantime. They are working closely with MBIE to ensure a seamless transition to the new arrangements. MBIE will begin engaging with key stakeholders on the implementation of new arrangements over the coming months.

Further information

Further information on the new arrangements for the development and delivery of New Zealand Standards is available on the Standards New Zealand website

Fresh clean water free to Manaia and Opunake primary schools

PETRA FINER

Last updated 13:22, August 24 2015

Cool, clear, quality water is finally on tap at Manaia and Opunake Primary Schools.

Opunake principal Lorraine Williamson said both school's were situated in parts of the region that were considered to have poor-quality water.

"They contacted us out of the blue and said that they had decided to put some free water filters in schools in areas where the water was designated as poor quality."

Installed on the main line, the system ensures all water entering the school has been cleared of many heavy metals, chlorine and water born bugs such as giardia.

The $150,000 investment by HRV was also expected to make the water taste better. Many of the schools involved in the project are located in smaller towns and rural areas which have water quality compliance issues according to the Ministry of Health's Annual Report on Drinking Water Quality 2013-2014.

Because schools wouldn't have to foot the bill for any ongoing maintenance, Williamson said the offer was too good to refuse.

"We actually filtered our drinking fountains and we have filters in the staff room drinking areas and it's quite costly changing those filters."

Williamson said students today were quite particular about the water they drank. As a school that encouraged students to drink water and didn't allow fizzy drinks or juice students often filled their drink bottles with filtered waters.

"From time to time, we've turned the taps on here and our water is brown so I would say it would make a fairly significant to the quality of water in this school."

To meet compliance requirements of the Drinking-water Standards For New Zealand a water supply must meet the bacteriological, protozoal, and chemical standards which measure everything from E. Coli and giardia through to chemical contaminants such as chlorine by-product trihalomethanes.

"School's don't often just have people turn up out of the blue and give you something for nothing so I would like to express our thanks on behalf of the board and staff and students," Williamson said.

Partnering with HRV in the project is Water New Zealand, a not-for-profit organisation that represents and advocates for organisations in the water industry.

Water New Zealand's advocacy and learning manager Peter Whitehouse said smaller towns and rural areas could face significant water quality issues.

"Many of New Zealand's smaller centres face capacity and affordability constraints that, on occasion, can result in compromised water quality. The more isolated rural communities will need support if high quality potable water is to be a 24/7 reality."

HRV chief executive Bruce Gordon said the project was about doing something good for schools around New Zealand.

"It's also about encouraging discussion about the quality of water New Zealander's use as part of everyday life and doing something to make it safer and healthier."

- Stuff

View the full article here.

Water New Zealand applauds council and iwi for first

Tuesday, 1 September 2015, 1:09 pm

Press Release: Water New Zealand

Water New Zealandis applauding Gisborne District Council and Ngati Porou for working together in forming an agreement, the first of its kind, in relation to the co-management of the Waiapu River under the Resource Management Act.

“This agreement shows a willingness of council to work with the Maori community on river management issues that are of interest to the local community, says Water New Zealand CEO, JohnPfahlert.

“Up until now the only other co-management arrangements have been ones based on specific changes – Whanganui and Waikato rivers as part of Treaty settlements.

“The Resource Management Act provides for the establishment of joint management agreements under section 36 – this doesn’t apply just to just rivers but the management of any resources with another party.

“Perhaps the surprise is that the Act was amended to make provision for joint management agreements in 2005 – it has taken 10 years for the first.”

The agreement provides for the development of a catchment management plan and joint decision making on how water is used: quality, quantity, limits and targets.

Mr Pfahlert says he hopes to see more collaboration between iwi and councils in the future.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

View the full article here.

Water NZ calls for government to make fluoridation Compulsory

Thursday, 24 September 2015, 3:53 pm

Press Release: Water New Zealand

Water NZ calls for government to make fluoridation of public water compulsory - again

Water New Zealand is again calling on the government to make fluoridation of public water compulsory. The call comes with the release of a new Australian study, confirming the benefits of fluoride in drinking water.

The Scientific Research Report published in the International Dental Journal in June reported on a four year study of five to seven year olds in three study locations in New South Wales. The study concluded that the proportions of children free from dental decay were significantly higher in areas receiving fluoridated water than in the un-fluoridated area.

“This report is another example of the benefits of fluoride. The science is settled. It is time for central Government to step up and take a stand on the issue. It is a matter of public health, not something to be decided case-by-case by local councils,” says John Pfahlert, CEO of Water New Zealand.

"Rate payers should not be funding an emotional debate fuelled by conspiracy theorists. Instead, central government needs to show leadership and take onboard the advice of Ministry of Health officials and qualified scientists," Mr Pfahlert says.

Water New Zealand, along with many other organistions including Local Government New Zealand and the NZ Dental Association, advocate that central Government implement legislation insisting on nationwide fluoridation of public water supplies.

“The Government has already endorsed the use of fluoride. In 2014 the office of the Prime Ministers Chief Science Advisor issued a report which conclusively demonstrated the health benefits from fluoridation at the correct dosage, and that the risks were virtually non-existent.”

This support is based on sound science that fluoride application rates between 0.7 – 1.0ppm are safe for human health.

Scientific research report - A four year assessment of a new water-uoridation scheme in New South Wales, Australia: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/idj.12166/abstract

ENDS

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Water New Zealand welcomes court decision

Wednesday, 9 September 2015, 12:22 pm

Press Release: Water New Zealand

Water New Zealand welcomes court decision to reject appeal by fluoride opponents

Water New Zealand has welcomed the decision by Justice Kos in the High Court (4 Sept) to reject an appeal by opponents of water fluoridation.

“This is the fourth time in two years that opponents of public water fluoridation have lost cases in the courts,” says John Pfahlert, CEO of Water New Zealand.

Lobby organisation, New Health, had been seeking to overturn Government regulations specifying that fluoridating agents used for the fluoridation of drinking water are not medicines made for the purposes of the Medicines Act.

“What they are really trying to do is undermine public confidence in a scientifically accepted means of improving public dental health,” said Mr Pfahlert. “The six grounds on which New Health sought relief from the Court have all been dismissed.”

Mr Pfahlert said that a 2014 scientific paper by the Office of the Prime Minister’s Science Advisor and the Royal Society clearly demonstrated the case for fluoridation of public water.

The report concluded that there is compelling evidence that fluoridation at the recommended levels produces broad benefits for dental health.

Mr Pfahlert said that the panel which undertook the review was unanimous in that there are no adverse effects of fluoride of any significance from fluoridation at the levels used in New Zealand.

In particular the paper stated: “No effects on brain development, cancer risk or cardiovascular or metabolic risk have been substantiated, and the safety margins are such that no subset of the population is at risk because of fluoridation.” The report concluded that the scientific issues raised by those opposed to fluoridation are not supported by evidence.

ENDS

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View the full article here.

Accessing domestic water after an earthquake

Wednesday, 23 September 2015, 11:24 am

Press Release: Water New Zealand

Water New Zealand with Opus and the University of Canterbury QuakeCentre has produced guidelines which will help communities define what level of water access and service citizens can expect after an earthquake.

“The Christchurch earthquakes highlighted the fragility of water infrastructure in the event of a major quake – and taught us more than a few things about the importance of seismic resilience of water pipes,” said John Pfahlert, CEO of Water New Zealand.

Mr Pfahlert said most people never think about the functioning of water pipeline systems until they fail.

“This paper will be the first in a series of guidelines on assessing system vulnerability, estimating the how long it will take to restore service and what is needed to be done ahead of any incidents to improve resilience,” he said.

“Building a resilient water delivery service begins with a clear understanding of what service is expected. The first step in this is a community defining Levels of Service as well as the costs, risks and compromises associated with providing this,” said Mr Pfahlert.

The guidance document defines a framework of Levels of Service performance measures and will help communities start thinking about what assets exist and how they will be affected from an earthquake. For example, it explains the state of the network to communities; it will help track recovery to normal levels of service after damage caused; and can be a management tool to assist engineers and asset managers to explain investment needed to improve the resilience of networks.

Mr Pfahlert said that as part of the process of building resilience and these assets are upgraded or replaced, many difficult decisions will need to be made with respect to the trade-offs between Levels of Service, capital costs, operating costs and management of risk.

“The current replacement value of the water pipeline assets in New Zealand is about NZ$45 billion. The wastewater network has the highest replacement value at around NZ$18 billion, followed by drinking water assets at NZ$16 billion and storm water at NZ$11 billion.

(Figures from the Department of Internal Affairs analysis of 2014 Local Authority Annual reports.)

“One key lesson from the Canterbury Earthquakes is that insurance cannot be relied upon as a sole risk mitigation strategy,” he said.

See the full document: /Folder?Action=View%20File&Folder_id=438&File=3WaterLoS_Final.pdf

ENDS

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View the full article here.

Te Manu Korihi News for 17 September 2015

Water experts have been told that a critical challenge facing this country is that the governance and management of freshwater must recognise Maori interests; A group of whanau who live at Takapuwahia Pa in Porirua have met with the local council to find ways to stop regular flooding in their community; The National Congress of Australia's First Peoples is concerned the new Prime Minister will change the direction of how their affairs are handled.

Listen to the report on Radio New Zealand here.

Water NZ welcomes court decision to reject fluoride appeal

Wednesday, 9 September, 2015 - 12:11

Water New Zealand has welcomed the decision by Justice Kos in the High Court (4 Sept) to reject an appeal by opponents of water fluoridation.

"This is the fourth time in two years that opponents of public water fluoridation have lost cases in the courts," says John Pfahlert, CEO of Water New Zealand.

Lobby organisation, New Health, had been seeking to overturn Government regulations specifying that fluoridating agents used for the fluoridation of drinking water are not medicines made for the purposes of the Medicines Act.

"What they are really trying to do is undermine public confidence in a scientifically accepted means of improving public dental health," said Mr Pfahlert. "The six grounds on which New Health sought relief from the Court have all been dismissed."

Mr Pfahlert said that a 2014 scientific paper by the Office of the Prime Minister’s Science Advisor and the Royal Society clearly demonstrated the case for fluoridation of public water.

The report concluded that there is compelling evidence that fluoridation at the recommended levels produces broad benefits for dental health.

Mr Pfahlert said that the panel which undertook the review was unanimous in that there are no adverse effects of fluoride of any significance from fluoridation at the levels used in New Zealand.

In particular the paper stated: "No effects on brain development, cancer risk or cardiovascular or metabolic risk have been substantiated, and the safety margins are such that no subset of the population is at risk because of fluoridation." The report concluded that the scientific issues raised by those opposed to fluoridation are not supported by evidence.

View the full article here.

Homeowners getting stung with surprise repair bills for wastewater pipes

MICHAEL FORBES

Last updated 21:24, September 17 2015

Homeowners are being stung with surprise bills running to tens of thousands of dollars because they are unaware it is their responsibility to maintain private wastewater pipes.

Wellington woman Stella Lawson found out the hard way when the bill to repair a pipe rocketed to $22,000 because she had to pay for part of Devonshire Rd in Miramar to be dug up and for contractors to operate stop-go signs while it was happening.

Industry body Water New Zealand says Lawson is not alone. Many Kiwi homeowners are oblivious to the fact that private sewer pipes are their responsibility to maintain – and inconsistent council rules do not help.

Lawson said she had an overflow in her toilet bowl about three weeks ago, which a plumber told her was caused by a collapse in the wastewater pipe connecting her house to the council main, known as a lateral pipe.

The collapse occurred about six metres from her house, in the middle of Devonshire Rd. But because Wellington City Council deemed lateral pipes to be the responsibility of homeowners, she had to fork out for the repairs and associated roadworks.

"The plumber said, in the nicest possible way, that the council gifted the city's lateral pipes to homeowners a few years back," Lawson said.

About $1500 of her total bill was the cost of taking the old asphalt to the tip, while $3000 was spent on having contractors manage traffic, and operate stop-go signs, for the two days it took to complete the work.

Lawson admitted she was surprised to discover a pipe so far from her property boundary was her responsibility.

Because the lateral pipe went beyond her property boundary she could not get it insured. If she had known it was her responsibility before she bought the house in May last year she would have had the pipe inspected as part of the due diligence of buying a house.

Lawson said Wellington City Council should probably have "come to the party" on some of the costs linked to the roadworks. She also felt it should be doing more to inform the public by including the state of wastewater pipes on Land Information Memorandum reports.

WATER NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL PERFOMANCE REVIEW AND THE BENEFITS OF BENCHMARKING ARE ADRESSED BY A RECENT PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION REPORT

The productivity commission has been examining the processes that New Zealand’s fastest-growing local councils use to provide land for housing (including planning, zoning and the provision of infrastructure such as roads and water pipes) and to make recommendations about how this can be improved. The Productivity Commission has recently released a draft report for comment, available at the following link. The attached extract exposes the benefits of benchmarking and discusses how the Water New Zealand National Performance Review fits into this picture.

NEW CASE STUDY ADVICE FOR FISH PASSAGE RESTORATION AND REMEDIATION RELEASED

The New Zealand Fish Passage Advisory Group is producing a series of 'lessons learnt' case studies. They provide key information and guidance about attempts to improve a variety of different types of fish passage barriers in New Zealand waterways. The first set of case studies has been finalised and are available for use. There will be more case studies developed and loaded over time so keep an eye on these pages.

Installation of a fish ramp and baffles to restore fish passage at a perched culvert . Lessons Learnt 001 (2015).

Installation of mussel spat rope to retrofit a perched culvert to improve passage for climbing fish . Lessons Learnt 002 (2015).

Placement of downstream rock weir and installation of culvert baffles to enable salmonid passage . Lessons Learnt 003 (2015).

NZ water quality getting worse - report

The Environment Aotearoa 2015 report - independently put together by Statistics New Zealand and the Ministry for the Environment - paints an overall picture of where improvements are being made and where they aren't.

It says the quality of water in rivers, streams and lakes across the country is variable and depends on what the land in the catchment area is used for.

Water quality is "very good" in areas with indigenous vegetation and less intensive use of land, but it's poorer where there are pressures from urban and agricultural land use.

"Rivers in these areas have reduced water clarity and aquatic insect life, and higher levels of nutrients and Escherichia coli (E.coli) bacteria," the report says.

There has also been a 12 per cent increase in the total amount of nitrogen leaching into rivers from soil, but the increase from agriculture has been even greater.

The blame for that has been pinned on increasing dairy cattle numbers and nitrogen fertiliser use.

There have, however, been improvements in air quality, with a drop in airborne particles, and a 46 per cent decrease in carbon monoxide emissions from transport.

The report, the first of its kind, took two years to produce and used data from councils and government agencies like Niwa and the New Zealand Transport Agency.

The Environment Aotearoa reports will be produced every thee years.

Key findings:

ATMOSPHERE AND CLIMATE

* High rates of melanoma due to UV exposure

* 21 per cent increase in carbon dioxide concentrations since 1972

* Temperature rise of 0.9 degrees Celsius over the past 100 years

AIR

* 8 per cent decrease in airborne particles since 2006 - better air quality

* 46 per cent drop in carbon monoxide emissions from transport since 2001

FRESH WATER

* 29 per cent increase in nitrogen on land since 1990, from livestock and fertiliser

* 12 per cent increase in nitrogen in rivers since 1989

* 14 per cent improvement in water clarity since 1989

LAND

* Almost half of all land used for farming and forestry

* 192 million tonnes of eroded soil entering waterways each year

* 78 per cent of soils under dairy farming badly affected by compaction

* 94 per cent of areas affected by pests like possums, rats and stoats

MARINE

* 35 per cent of seabirds threatened with extinction

* 27 per cent of marine mammals threatened with extinction

* Coastal sea levels and acidity are rising

* Overfishing has declined.

View the full article here.

Time for Authorities to Honestly Front up to Water Problems

Time to Authorities to Honestly Front up to Water Problems

It is well nigh time for government, regional councils, Federated Farmers NZ and some farmers to recognise New Zealand’s growing freshwater crisis both in terms of quality and quantity says the newly formed NZ Outdoors Party.

Alan Simmons of Turangi, founder and interim leader of the party, said the trout fishing public and outdoor recreationalists have been voicing concern for years over the decline year by year in water quality.

“However the public concern has been off-set and negated by Federated Farmers NZ's spin doctors which encourages government inaction and a further push for more economic development at the expense of the environment,” he says. .
Every time anglers, concerned farmers, environmentalist or water scientists like Massey University’s Dr Mike Joye express concern about the worsening crisis, the response is how much work farmers are doing or how much riparian plantings they have done while turning a blind eye to intensification of land use.

“It’s a repeat of Nero fiddling while Rome burns,” he said.
Alan Simmons said many Kiwi family farmers were horrified at the expansion of corporate dairying in low rainfall areas.

“And I know many traditional farmers who are horrified at what has happened to the image of farming bought about by the greed of the new wave of corporate dairying entrepreneurs”.

Some farmers have valiantly tried to highlight the issue and often have led by example but are ignored in the rush to "white gold”. An example was government itself via Landcorp which had cleared huge areas of forest to convert to massive dairy farms.

“In effect the conversion has stripped the atmosphere of carbon sink by cutting down the trees and has sent a wave of pollution down the Waikato towards Auckland's water supply. The government should be ashamed of itself for allowing this further degradation of the environment. Hypocrisy is common. Even Maori Trusts supposed to be the great conservationists cut down huge forests and turn them into dairy farms and then demand more water for irrigation to increase the number of cows.”

Alan Simmons also questioned the lack of conscience in regional councils which continued to promote huge irrigation schemes to be partially funded by ratepayers, in order to continue the intensification. Schemes like the proposed Hawkes Bay Ruataniwha scheme which will allow grazing of 40,000 cows on shallow river gravel lands which will leach vast amounts of nitrates into an already polluted TukiTuki River.

"This is totally an in-appropriate use of this land type and can only be sustained by massive irrigation schemes,” he said.

Many more schemes were proposed funded by public money but for private corporate profit. He cited a proposed irrigation scheme for the Wairarapa which will turn that area from a sheep farming, wine growing region into a landscape of dairy cows with nitrate pollutants entering the Ruamahunga River river to be used downstream to irrigate Martinborogh vineyards.
Alan Simmons as a trout fishing guide said he had stood in rivers with overseas anglers when the water had discoloured due to cow effluent. In one case eighteen months ago the whole river went white from a farm upstream emptying milk into the river.

“New Zealand’s clean, green, 100% pure branding is ruined by these instances. These overseas anglers go back home and tell others that the government’s clean green image is a big lie. Sooner or later our clean green image will be overcome by the stories of dirty NZ and every industry and NZ product will be affected by such greed."
The deterioration of many lowland rivers was so marked that people cannot fish them any longer, let alone swim in them. Official estimates deem over 60% of New Zealand’s rivers are unfit for swimming he said.

"After a day trout fishing, waders can stink of cows poo and anglers find access is blocked by health and safety signs and electric fences."
Alan Simmons said the current state of the environment was not the New Zealand he and his friends wanted to live in, nor the legacy to pass to grandchildren.

He called on Prime Minister Key to take control of the issue and take positive action to turn the situation round instead of procrastinating by forming another advisory group or commissioning another report.

"It seems to me that government ministers by their utterances for more and more dairy growth and their silence over dwindling river flows and rising pollution, are turning a blind eye or are oblivious to the concern and pain many New Zealanders are feeling over the environment.”

With an election in two years time Key has the opportunity to actually do something.

“Time will tell,” said Alan Simmons.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

View the full article here.

Vote to continue the fluoridation of Thames water supply

Selwyn Council's consultation on $8m water loan closes

Updated at 5:01 pm on 26 October 2015

The Selwyn District Council's consultation on a proposed $8 million loan to Central Plains Water has closed today.

Central Plains Water needs the loan to design stage two of the irrigation scheme, which would cover about 33,000 hectares between Hororata and Darfield.

The council provided a nearly $6 million loan for stage one of the scheme, but a report suggested the risks for stage two were considerably higher.

The report said if stage two failed to go ahead because of a lack of farmer uptake, Central Plains Water could default on the loan, leaving the council with little security .

Council chief executive David Ward said about 70 submissions had been received.

The council will make a final decision on the loan next month.

View the full article here.

Vote to continue the fluoridation of Thames water supply

October 21st, 2015

Vote to continue the fluoridation of Thames water supply

The NZ Dental Association urges the community of Thames to vote for continued better health by voting to CONTINUE the fluoridation of Thames water supply in the current referendum. "By voting to continue water fluoridation you are choosing to have added protection that fluoride safely provides. Water fluoridation lessens tooth decay and that’s important” says Dr David Crum, CEO of the NZDA.

A report released last year "Health effects of water fluoridation: a review of the scientific evidence” published on behalf of the Royal Society of New Zealand and the Office of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor strongly affirms the scientific evidence into the safety and positive health effects of water fluoridation.

"The NZ Dental Association’s position, based on the scientific evidence is that community water fluoridation is a safe, effective and cost efficient way of reducing dental caries and reducing health inequalities,” says Dr Crum.

The NZ Dental Association is not alone in its position. The NZ Medical Association along with the Ministry of Health, the Australian and American Dental Associations, the World Health Organisation and the World Dental Federation all support community water fluoridation.

The anti fluoride lobby has out dated, poorly informed and inaccurately biased views on community water fluoridation and it would be a real shame for their very vocal views to spoil it for the community of Thames.

Common sense needs to prevail. Vote to CONTINUE water fluoridation.

ends

© Scoop Media

View full article here.

WEFTEC 2016

WEFTEC 2016 – New Orleans, Louisiana – 24-28 September

The Call for Abstracts is now open for the next WEFTEC – refer for details to http://www.weftec.org/abstracts/ . WEF is really keen to have a truly international technical programme to complement the huge 1000+ exhibition stands in the Expo – so it needs authors from outside USA-Canada to submit abstracts about their countries and water, wastewater, biosolids, stormwater and environmental projects. With 22 themed tracks there is bound to be a slot into which your particular abstract can be offered. Contact Garry Macdonald, our New Zealand WEF Delegate and Future & Global Issues Symposium Chair, for further information garry.macdonald@beca.com

Water scheme flows into Canterbury Plains

More than half of Central Plains Water's (CPW) 60,000 hectare coverage area was already under irrigation even before water started flowing in the scheme in September.

Richmond water quality at national standard

Updated at 3:11 pm on 2 November 2015

Drinking water in Richmond, near Nelson, now complies with national standards following the opening of a $10m treatment plant.

It is the Tasman District Council's largest capital project since the local authority was created under reforms in 1989.

The council's engineering services manager, Peter Thomson, says the plant was built to supply growing demand and uses an ultra-violet treatment process that means the town's water no longer needs to be chlorinated.

View full article here.

Council falling short of signed Ruataniwha Dam contracts

Updated at 1:53 pm on 2 November 2015

The number of farmers who have signed contracts to buy water from the proposed Ruataniwha Dam has risen by about 25 percent in the past six weeks says the Hawke's Bay Regional Council's Investment Company HBRIC, but still more are required to make construction viable.

The Ruataniwha Plains which would be irrigated by the dam.

Photo: RNZ / Peter Fowler

HBRIC has been encouraging farmers to sign up by 11 November, so the board can work towards getting a close of business by the end of the year.

With ten days to go, HBRIC water storage scheme commercial manager Duncan McLeod said about 25 million cubic metres of water had now been sold of the minimum of 45 million required to make construction viable.

But Mr McLeod said contracts had been requested for another 13 million cubic metres of water, which would take the total to about 38 million.

"So we still have enough people interested in water. We've got 175 properties who have decided at this stage they won't be contracting water from the Ruataniwha scheme. A lot of them don't intend being on the land in the next five or ten years and our current timeline would see water delivered in October 2019 so thats still four years away.

"So that's the most common reason. If we've got 38 million cubes of people saying they are interested and we are looking for a figure of 45 million, then I don't think we are too far away from that."

View the full article here.

New water pollution regulations come into effect

Madeleine Farman, Section National, Publish Date Saturday, 31 October 2015, 5:08PM

New regulations to manage waste and pollution in the waters around New Zealand have come into effect today.

The law will manage discharges, dumping of waste and burial at sea from offshore installations like oil rigs and ships within the country's Exclusive Economic Zone.

Environment Minister Nick Smith says the new rules are the final stage of implementing the Government's environmental law covering the ocean, which was passed in 2012.

He says the Government has an aim for New Zealand to be a world leader in ocean environment protection, and the next step is to update marine protected area laws.

View full article here.

NIWA Updates

From the third issue of Aue Te Piro – Te Waipara kia kaua e Paatu ki te Wai Maori produced be NIWA . You can view the whole newsletter here.

Project update

Project leader Chris Tanner provides an update on the work completed in the first half of 2015 and some of the project achievements to date. Read more

Pukete wastewater treatment pilot trials

In this issue we introduce the concept of constructed wetlands and the trials underway at the Pukete Wastewater Treatment Plant to test the performance of a number of constructed wetland modules at treating wastewater and to look at their resilience to shock loading. Read more

Gisborne City sludge treatment wetland trials

NIWA is working with a number of partners to develop alternative uses and disposal options for treated effluent and biosolids from Gisborne City. Read more

Tech Corner: passive grease traps

Basic information on Passive Grease Traps, what they are, how they work and how they should be maintained. Read more

Marae water usage monitoring update

The marae water usage project is now well underway with installations at 10 marae around the North Island. In this issue initial water usage and occupancy data from three partner marae are presented and briefly discussed. Read more

News in brief

NIWA/University of Waikato funded PhD student Femke Rambags is advancing our understanding on the ability of woodchip and coconut filters to remove faecal bacteria and viruses from wastewater. Read more

Australian Water Consumer Outlook

Do we think and talk about water only when we are in drought? Do we complain about the price of water, but are happy to pay $3 a bottle for it at the shop? Do urban residents think differently about water to people living in rural and regional areas? Do consumers know enough about our water resources to understand if governments and industry are protecting our water supply in the future? These questions and more are explored in the Australian Water Consumer Outlook.

View the document here.

WorkSafe New Zealand Consultation

WorkSafe New Zealand is consulting on draft Good Practice Guidelines on Worker Engagement, Participation and Representation .

These draft guidelines are part of a series of guidelines that WorkSafe is aiming to complete before 4 April 2016 when the new Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and associated regulations come into force.

Please note that some content in these draft guidelines is likely to change to reflect the final version of the Health and Safety at Work (Worker Engagement, Participation and Representation) Regulations 2016.

Consultation on these Good Practice Guidelines closes at 5pm on Friday, 4 December 2015.

Integrated approach the way forward, says Local Government Minister Paula Bennett

The Government is proposing a governance model similar to the Auckland Council for regions that have voted to reject a Super City-like structure.

Under the proposed changes, regions would be encouraged to integrate their core services such as water or transport across council boundaries.

Regions that took a more integrated approach, allowing the Government to work more closely with them, could be in line for a funding "top up" from central government.

Announcing the proposals earlier today, Local Government Minister Paula Bennett said: "Without a doubt there are regions in New Zealand that have got increasing expenditure needed in core infrastructure and looking at it in a piecemeal fashion by council boundaries is not in the best interests of a region as a whole."

This approach did not deliver results for ratepayers or create an environment in which business could grow, she said.

In the past three months, Northland and Wellington have voted against amalgamating their councils.

Mrs Bennett said there had been resistance from communities who were concerned about the potential impact on their identity and way of life.

Government was proposing a "viable alternative to large-scale amalgamation". Regions could transfer some core services between regional and territorial authorities. Or they could transfer them to "arms-length" organisations similar to Auckland's Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs).

Half of CCOs' directors are appointed by the council. Mrs Bennett admitted there could be some resistance to transferring core services to less democratic entities. But she said changes would not be forced on regions, and would be community-led.

The Government planned to introduce law changes next year which would allow the new structures to be "locked in" for the long-term.

The legislation would not affect Auckland, which already had CCOs for tourism, water, transport and other services.

Mrs Bennett said Northland would be a prime candidate for a more integrated approach because it needed significant infrastructure upgrades but collected low rates and had a number of separate councils. She said the region "still has a number of councils which are barely catching up".

If Northland took a more integrated approach, it could receive central government funding to help with infrastructure, she said.

In the past, individual councils within the region such as Kaipara had run into trouble when developing major infrastructure such as wastewater.

- NZ Herald

View the full article here.

New Research Shows Benefit of Fluoride Against Decay

3 Waters Infrastructure Planning

Recent Report Reveals Mixed Performances

Water Sector to Pool Standards

Turning on the taps

An Affordable Drop? Drinking Water Legislation

State Highway Stormwater Specification

The Transport Agency has released the draft State Highway Stormwater Specification for internal and external consultation.

This work was initiated on the back of updating the Technical Appendices in SM031 ‘State Highway Construction Contract Proforma Manual’ back in January 2015. The Transport Agency’s Environment and Urban Design team has drafted this specification, together with input from a group of internal and external people with expertise in stormwater management on state highways.

Feedback on the draft is being sought before this specification is finalised and rolled out to staff and suppliers. Information about the specification and a quick survey is available at the below link. You are also welcome to send feedback to environment@nzta.govt.nz.

http://nzta.govt.nz/about-us/consultations/new-zealand-transport-agency-state-highway-stormwater-specification

The feedback period will close on December 18 ^th 2015, after which the final document will be prepared and released.

The New Zealand Transport Agency is holding a Transport and Stormwater workshop in Auckland on 2 December for those who wish to learn more about and discuss the two projects that the agency has recently commissioned. Find out more about the workshop here.

Councillors vote to buy water from Ruataniwha dam

Councillors vote to buy water from Ruataniwha dam

Updated at 2:50 pm on 13 November 2015

The Central Hawke's Bay District Council has agreed at a secret meeting to buy water from Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme subject to further due diligence and public consultation.

An artist's impression of the proposed new dam.

Photo: Isthmus Group

Mayor Peter Butler said using stored water to supplement urban supply for Waipukurau and Waipawa had significant environmental benefits because the towns would no longer source water from rivers at times of low flow.

Mr Butler said it would cost the district's ratepayers about $50 per year whether they used the water or not.

Some ratepayers have raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest and Mr Butler admitted almost all councillors do have a conflict.

Concillor Sally Butler was the only one to declare a formal conflict of interest but she was allowed to participate and vote anyway, he said.

"You could just about say we always do have a conflict of interest. The whole council agreed that Sally could talk and could have voting rights because it was such an important decision to make."

The council had not explored any other options for the town water supply, Mr Butler said.

"There was no other option. This is the option. This is good for the district. If we went back to the old system, we were running short of water during the summer so this is the option.

"If the dam goes ahead we are going to need water. We haven't got water for vegetable washing plants and that sort of thing if this dam goes ahead and of course we won't be taking it if the dam doesn't go ahead."

Mr Butler would not reveal the price the council has been offered for the water or the terms of the contract saying it was commercially sensitive.

"The terms of the contract and the price we are paying at the moment is not a final decision and that is why it was done in public-excluded because it is commercially sensitive."

The Ruataniwha Plains which would be irrigated by the dam.

Photo: RNZ / Peter Fowler

Mr Butler would not say if the council had been offered a discount, and also said it was commercially sensitive when asked if any discounted price would revert to the full price of 26 cents per cubic metre in the future and cost ratepayers even more.

He said it was commercially sensitive when asked if the council had any guarantees the price of water from the profit making venture would not go up in future.

He refused to answer when asked how ratepayers could fully assess the proposal to buy water from the dam when he could not talk about risks, such as whether the price of water would go up in future.

"There will be a lot more information available to the public by the time we go to public consultation."

Some irrigation already takes place on Ruataniwha Plains.

Photo: RNZ / Peter Fowler

Labour's water spokesperson Meka Whaitiri said the decision by the council to abandon their present free water supply and buy water from the controversial Ruataniwha dam was "a disgrace."

"This is nothing less than an attempt to make the poor ratepayers of Waipawa and Waipukurau foot the bill for a scheme that simply doesn't have the financial backing to go ahead.

"The fact that the council's development company HBRIC can only get 55 percent of the required sign-up by farmers for water from the scheme paints a clear picture of a project in deep trouble," she said.

Ms Whaitiri said the council had been told that a full uptake of water from Ruataniwha would add to the rates bill when at present the central Hawke's Bay towns drew their water free from the Tukituki river.

"This is nothing short of a ratepayer's subsidy for a scheme that the council claims will improve the river's environment. They seem to ignore that fact that a massive dam will also have a huge environmental impact on the Tukituki," she said.

View full article here.

Raetihi water OK despite sour taste, smell

Raetihi water OK despite sour taste, smell

Saturday 14 Nov 2015 12:04 p.m.

The tap water is treated and tested daily, she said.

View full article here.

Scirt errors cause massive water loss in Christchurch

Scirt errors cause massive water loss in Christchurch

.About 12 million litres of water went down Christchurch drains in 2014 because of damage caused by road works, demolitions and construction.

Information released by the Christchurch City Council showed there were 865 "damage jobs" to the city's water network last year.

The 12 million litres of water lost equated to 1 million toilet flushes, 160,000 loads of washing, or five Olympic-sized swimming pools.

JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON/FAIRFAX NZ

Damage during road works, such as burst water mains, sent 12 million litres of water down the drain in Christchurch in 2014.

Most - but not all - of the damage happened on Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team (Scirt) sites.

Scirt is made up of five construction companies and funded by taxpayers and ratepayers. The organisation has been fixing the Christchurch's roads, water, wastewater and sewerage networks since the earthquakes.

About 40 per cent of the damage jobs were responded to as a matter of urgency and usually involved an unplanned shut-off or loss of services, causing disruption to residents and businesses, the council said.

In one incident, damage to a water main in Port Hills Rd triggered a 200-litre-per-second burst, with an estimated loss of about 800,000 litres in total.

The council said bursts on water connections, submains and mains were not "always the fault of the Scirt contractor".

"They may be coincidental bursts while the contractor is on the site and in some instances, while they are damage jobs it may be because the pipe damaged has not been shown in its correct position on the plan."

The council said all true damage jobs were repaired by the council's maintenance contractor City Care before the council was reimbursed by the contractors who caused the damage.

Road works were not always to blame though.

Other types of work that caused damage to the water network included enabling ultrafast broadband rollout, fence installation and removal, construction and maintenance.

The 865 jobs made up about 7.5 per cent of the total number of jobs carried out on the water network in 2014.

The council did not keep information about which bursts caused road closures or flooding to neighbouring properties.

Just last week, a burst water main closed Hackthorne Rd in Cashmere to downhill traffic while emergency repairs were undertaken.

Several other incidents this year - including in Barrington, Aranui and Redcliffs - had caused road closures, flooding to homes and businesses, and loss of services.

View full article here.

Oxfam Water Challenge 2016 - Water New Zealand Board Team

Oxfam launched the Oxfam Water Challenge 2016 at our recent conference – The Water New Zealand Board has decided to put its money where its mouth is, and take part. Would you and some colleagues like to take us on?

Join us and help us to raise vital funds for Oxfam’s work in PNG. What do you need to do?

Find three other colleagues to take part with you.

As a team, raise a minimum of $2,000 between now and March 21 ^st (and as your fundraising increased you’ll be given clues, hints and design briefs to help you on the Challenge Day).

Take part in Oxfam’s design, build and operate challenge, based in Auckland on the 20 ^th February.

Hopefully it’s something you and your colleagues want to take part in – help us to implement this vital project and deliver clean water to health centres in PNG, literally saving thousands of lives every year.

Here at Water New Zealand, its Board is laying down the challenge to you! Take part, have fun and make a difference. Did we mention that you can win a trip to the Pacific as well?

If you have any questions or would like to find out more, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Hannah Davies at Oxfam. P: +64 9 355 6854; E: Hannah.Davies@oxfam.or.nz or check out Oxfam’s website: www.oxfam.org.nz/OWC .

Registration is open, so sign up today.

Hope to see you there

Water New Zealand Board

IWA World Water Congress and Exhibition, Call for Papers and Workshops

Dear Water New Zealand Member

This is your last chance to make sure that the rest of the world learns about New Zealand’s water expertise!

The IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition is the global event for water professionals covering the full water cycle. The World Water Congress & Exhibition will create new insights into how pioneering science, technological innovation and leading practices shape the major transformation in water management that is underway. As the Congress rotates through cities and countries each event has an extra emphasis on issues of specific interest to the region.

Brisbane 2016 will highlight water and industry, responding to water scarcity (desalination, reuse, etc) and geographically on the Asia-Pacific. If you have been involved in a Pacific Islands related project there is a special interest from IWA in abstracts on that theme.

The deadline for submitting papers was 15 October 2015 and over 1300 submissions have already been received. These papers are now being reviewed to assess their suitability for presentation in Brisbane next year.

However, to ensure that the issues discussed at the Congress are fully reflective of the interests and expertise from New Zealand, there is one last chance for you to submit a paper or workshop proposal for consideration. As such the submission portal will remain open until 27 November 2015 – please go to the Congress website www.worldwatercongress.org for instructions on how to submit your paper or make a workshop proposal.

To date 9 New Zealand abstracts have been submitted. Feel free to circulate this email to universities or other colleagues who may be interested in attending.

And, of course, given that your presentation will be well polished by the time IWA is over, don’t forget to submit your abstract to the Water New Zealand conference which is on the following week in Rotorua.

John Pfahlert

Chief Executive

Water New Zealand calls for Central Government Direction in Wake of Seal Level Rise Report

MEDIA RELEASE

Thursday 19, November 2015 – embargoed until 1pm

Water New Zealand calls for central government direction in wake of sea level rise report

Water New Zealand echoes the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s view it is time for a major review of how New Zealand is preparing for sea level rise.

“A more strategic approach is required at a national level to recognise the risk of sea level rise and lead a discussion on the most appropriate manner to address the vulnerability of coastal communities and the associated infrastructure, says Water New Zealand CEO, John Pfahlert.

The call comes in light of a report out today (Thursday 19 November 2015) by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Jan Wright on sea level rise – ‘ Preparing New Zealand for rising seas: Certainty and Uncertainty’.

“The science is established. Sea levels are rising and we must have a co-ordinated, strategic and central approach to address the issues that come with this developing challenge.

“Many New Zealanders live in the proximity of coastal areas and this means infrastructure, in particular stormwater and wastewater discharge points risk inundation by rising sea levels and the associated storm surges. Funding to address the resilience of coastal communities and their attendant infrastructure is in time likely to become a major issue in this country.

“We, along with Local Government New Zealand, have already called on central government to provide greater direction, rather than leaving local councils to make decisions in an area which remains uncertain. Now the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has added her voice to the call. Central government must step up,” Mr Pfahlert says.

The report out today outlines eight recommendations focused on improving the direction and advice for councils. Seven are directed to the Minister for the Environment and the Minister of Conservation. The eighth recommendation is to the Minister of Finance and is focused on the economic and fiscal implications to New Zealand of sea level rise.

“Central government direction in this area is essential. The report released today shows in some detail which areas of the coastline around the country are most vulnerable to sea level rise and assess the risk to infrastructure in those areas. The time has come for co-ordination and action,” Mr Pfahlert says.

Contact

John Pfahlert, CEO, Water New Zealand, 021 150 9763

Water New Zealand

Water New Zealand is an independent not for profit association of approximately 1500 water professionals and organisations, focusing on the sustainable management and development of the water environment. It provides leadership in the water sector, through advocacy, provision of technical advice and professional development. It is the principal voice for the water sector.

Its nationwide network of members represent many disciplines; physical and social sciences, public health, engineering, law and management. Water New Zealand attracts decision makers and technologists from central and local government, industry, the academic and research communities, consultants and service/equipment supply organisations, who exchange information about water and wastes issues.

Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Media Release – Prepare for rising seas, warns Environment Commissioner

Rising sea levels could affect freshwater

Kate Gudsell - @KateGudsell

Rising sea levels could reduce the availability of freshwater in some parts of the country, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment says.

Jan Wright's latest report said it was certain the sea level was rising and would continue to do so.

Salt water intrusion was already causing serious problems for some of New Zealand's Pacific neighbours, she said.

The problem occurs when seawater moves into coastal acquifers.

In New Zealand most groundwater is taken from these acquifers, and in many parts of the country groundwater is a key source of water for drinking, industry and agriculture.

The Waiwhetu Aquifer in Wellington was particularly vulnerable to saltwater contamination.

The acquifer supplies more than a third of the capital's water demand and sea level rise was expected to reduce the amount of freshwater that could be taken from it.

"It doesn't seem to be quite such a problem around New Zealand from what we can see but I'm aware that in Wellington, the Waiwhetu Aquifer, which supplies I think 30 or 40 percent of Wellington's water, they do have to monitor that quite closely for saline intrusion - so it's something that certainly needs an eye kept on it."

Greenpeace New Zealand's executive director Russel Norman said New Zealand would start experiencing salt water contaminating freshwater, just like the Pacific Islands experience.

It was critically important that the country cuts its greenhouse gas emissions.

"This is where we in New Zealand are going to start to experience what those in the Pacific are already experiencing where with rising sea level you're getting the salt water invasion into the fresh water aquifers and that's having a dramatic effect across the Pacific already, and as the sea level rises we'll start to feel it in New Zealand as well.

Issues with coastal groundwater were expected to become more significant as the sea rises, Dr Wright said.

In some parts of the country the water table was not far below the ground and was connected to the sea, and as the sea rises the water table will follow suit.

High groundwater causes boggy ground and surface flooding as well as damage to infrastructure and buildings.

A rising water table would lead to surface ponding in some places and more extensive flooding after heavy rain, she said.

It would also damage roads, pipes, and cables, as well as the foundations of buildings.

View the full article here.

ECan investigates South Canterbury water demand

JACK MONTGOMERIE

Water New Zealand collaborates with WERF and WSAA

Water New Zealand collaborates with WERF and WSAA to develop a guidance tool for identifying and assessing markets for high-quality biosolids. See www.werf.org for recent WERF research projects.

Renwick water restrictions likely in December

HEATHER SIMPSON

Developing national metadata standards

The following update on the development of metadata standards for the water sector has been produced by Land Information NZ.

To help New Zealand manage vital infrastructure well, we’re working with MBIE and Treasury to develop national metadata standards for how we capture, describe and store data.

As many of you will be aware, earlier this year LINZ and MBIE sought and gained Better Public Services seed funding from Treasury to develop national metadata standards for the 3-waters (potable, waste and storm) network, and for residential and light commercial buildings.

This follows on from work Wellington City Council, Auckland Council, Christchurch City Council and NZTA led in 2014 to develop national metadata standards for New Zealand's road corridor.

We believe that investment in national metadata standards for 3-waters and buildings will deliver significant benefits for New Zealand.

Work on the Metadata Standards Project will be done collaboratively between LINZ, MBIE, Treasury, local councils and private industry.

Key dates and information about the project are included below, and moreinformation is available on the LINZ website. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact the Programme Director, Haydn Read.

If there are others in your agency that will be interested in this information, please feel free to pass it on to them.

Andrea McDonald
Deputy Chief Executive, Location System
Land Information New Zealand

Procurement timeframe

The RFP document was released on GETS on Monday 21 ^st November, and will close on Monday 14 December. We will be evaluating responses mid/late December, and aim to have a provider selected and work underway on the project early in the New Year.

Links to other Projects

It has been recognised there are a number of projects across several sectors which this programme of works will inform, e.g. LGNZ’s 3 waters projects, MBIE’s GoShift project, LINZ’s integrated property services project.

Project governance

Technical advice on the direction of the project will be provided by two Technical Working Groups – a Water Technical Working Group (WTWG) and a Building & Housing Technical Working Group (BHTWG)

These working groups will be led by the Metadata Standards Project Manager, who we hope to have on board in early January, and comprise members of state sector and local government agencies and representatives of key stakeholders, co-ordinated by Programme Director and Project Managers.

Governance Structure

Government urged to improve water quality

Farmers should have to exclude nearly all livestock from rivers and streams by 2025, the Government has been told.

The Land and Water Forum released its fourth report today, which had 60 new recommendations for the Government on freshwater management.

Chairman Alastair Bisley said that the proposals outlined a "workable and balanced" management system which would facilitate growth within environmental limits.

Mr Bisley expressed disappointment that the Government had not adopted most of the 153 recommendations made in three previous reports, and urged ministers to make further changes "without delay".

One of the forum's members, the Environmental Defence Society, reiterated the need for urgent changes.

"Water quality in our lowland streams and rivers is poor and the current system is demonstrably failing to deliver the outcomes the public wants," chairman Gary Taylor said.

Environment Minister Nick Smith said the Government planned to make "big progress" on the issue of water quality next year. The forum's report would provide "vital ingredients" for a planned discussion document on freshwater management.

The Government has already adopted some of the forum's previous recommendations, including a National Policy Statement for freshwater. It has also introduced a bottom line for water quality, though some forum members believed it was too weak.

One of the forum's main recommendations in the new report was exclude most livestock on lowlands and plains from rivers within a set timeframe.

"We have recommended a framework to exclude all cattle, deer and pigs from waterways on the plains and lowland hills," Mr Bisley said.

Dairy cattle and pigs would be excluded by 2017, and deer and beef cattle would be excluded by 2025. Councils would also be able to require stock exclusion in areas of high ecological value.

Government has signalled a national regulation for excluding dairy cattle from rivers and streams, which could be introduced in mid-2017.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy said today that farmers were making fast progress in voluntarily fencing off waterways, and 95 per cent of dairy cattle were now excluded from rivers and streams.

He said other types of animals would be excluded "in time".

"I think by and large farmers see this as a good thing. They realise that our markets are demanding more in this space. So I think that they will say ... they're on board."

The forum also recommended that industrial and commercial users of water should be required to install water meters. Farmers who used more than 5 litres of water a second were already required to have meters.

Dr Smith said the proposal "has some merit" and he did not believe it would affect residential households.

The forum's report was welcomed by various sectors, including environmental groups, business and local government.

But it was criticised by Green Party MP Catherine Delahunty, who said it had not focused on water quality but on allowing commercial interests to use water cheaply.

The forum is made up of more than 60 organisations including environmental advocates, business, NGOs, energy companies, iwi and scientists.

Federated Farmers, a member of the forum, gave its tentative support to the newest report.

Water spokesman Chris Allen said the National Council's main reservation was how councils could interpret the clauses which related to iwi interests.

"The draft report suggests potential options around this but should not be interpreted as giving specific direction to the government," Mr Allen said.

"We are concerned that some local governments may pre-empt negotiations between iwi and central government by unreasonably locking up water, creating a gridlock on its management."

View the full article here.

Water NZ Supports 4th LAWF Report

Water New Zealand today announced its support for the 4th Land and Water Forum Report and urges government to complete implementing the Forum’s recommendations as soon as possible.

“We are pleased to see the progress made in the recommendations, particularly introducing volumetric metering for households in urban areas of strong growth which we explored in some depth at our recent annual conference,” said John Pfahlert, CEO of Water New Zealand. “It is essential if we are to use water conservatively in high population areas,” he said.

Water New Zealand has also taken a pro-active approach to developing shared metadata standards across the country for three waters and strongly agrees with the Report’s findings that rolling out national multi-purpose data and models will reduce costs and maximise the benefits of knowledge in the water industry.

Peter Whitehouse, policy manager at Water New Zealand, and member of the Small Group of the Forum, commented on the Report and said: “In regard to access to high reliability water, we agree that metropolitan commercial users should be treated the same as commercial users outside municipalities. We are also pleased to note that trade waste by-laws will encourage or require pre-treatment and recycling of commercial waste before disposal into municipal wastewater systems. This will go another step to improving urban water quality.”

Water New Zealand also agrees with the recommendation that councils align all metropolitan infrastructure – roads, residential development and three waters to ensure water quality standards are met. “This holistic approach to infrastructure development in towns and cities will ensure that as the population grows in urban areas that water quality is maintained and is central to planning,” said Mr Pfahlert.

In regard to Iwi Rights and Water, Water New Zealand supports the Forum’s suggestion that the responsibility for reaching agreement on how to recognise iwi rights and interests in water rests with the Crown and Iwi.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

View the full article here.

OAG releases its report on Long-Term Plans

The Controller and Auditor General has recently delivered to Parliament and released publicly the report, ‘ Matters arising from the 2015-25 local authority long-term plans’.

Among the matters noted were:

TLAs plan to spend $41.6 billion on capital works between 2015 and 2025 – made up of: $8.2b to meet additional demand (19%), $13.2b to improve levels of service (32%), and$20.2b to renew and replace existing assets;

The periods that TLAs used for their population projections are inconsistent. There is no legislative requirement for all TLAs to report uniformly;

In more than half of the infrastructure strategies, TLAs discussed the need to collect better information about their assets. Underground networks posed the greatest challenge in terms of asset condition information;

About a quarter of TLAs with low confidence in their asset data were not as transparent about the limitations of their data as they could have been in their infrastructure strategies;

Less than one-third of TLAs clearly linked their infrastructure and financial strategies. The report notes the Auditor-General had previously asked and expected to see strong links between a TLAs infrastructure strategy and financial strategy;

Many infrastructure strategies were not clear how the TLA would be placed in 2045 or did not foresee or plan for changes to either the financial strategy or changes to levels of service. Few strategies were clear about the most likely scenarios between 2015 & 2045 or beyond.

The report can be found at: http://www.oag.govt.nz/

Study looks at declining Wairau Plains water supply

Marlborough District Council has embarked on a study into the long term outlook for water supplies on the Wairau Plains, which are in decline.

Council scientist Peter Davidson said there were signs that aquifers on the plains are recharging at levels of up to a metre below those seen in the early 1980s.

He said record low levels have been recorded over the past three summers and everything was pointing to that scenario being repeated this summer.

He said scientists were trying to work out how much of the drop was due to natural processes and how much to human intervention.

He says it was possible flood control measures to contain the Wairau River may have changed how the aquifer is recharged, along with natural changes in the river bed.

Copyright © 2015, Radio New Zealand

View the full article here.

Horizons has no power to take action over Shannon wastewater treatment plant

NICHOLAS MCBRIDE

Water Leadership Institute

The Water Leadership Institute program is aimed at educating, training, and providing opportunities that enable developing and emerging leaders to build strong lasting relationships within the water industry. This intensive program allows participants the opportunity to engage in management training, and leadership development through a blended learning approach that includes the examination of complex challenges facing the water and wastewater industries and networking with public and private sector practitioners. Participants will build skills and knowledge needed to effect change within their organizations. Participation in this program is determined by a competitive application process. The application for the 2016 program is due January 31, 2016.

Find out more here.

Oxfam Water Challenge

Have you signed up for the Oxfam Water Challenge yet? There’s only a few places left so be quick! Here’s your chance to prove that you’re the best in the business, and win a trip to the Pacific at the same time! Find out more by calling Brodie on 09 355 6501, email him or visit Oxfam’s website. We look forward to seeing you there.

Water New Zealand President-elect appointed.

At its December meeting, the Water New Zealand Board elected Ms Dukessa Blackburn-Huettner as President-elect. Dukessa was re-elected to the Board this year and will take over as President from Brent Manning after the 2016 AGM on 19 October.

Hannah Smith
ASSOCIATION SECRETARY

Oxfam Water Challenge - Water New Zealand Board 111km Relay

PLEASE SPONSOR YOUR BOARD in its main fundraising event, to walk, jog and cycle the 111km long Waikato River Trail in mid-January over their summer break – raising funds for the Oxfam Water Challenge for charity in February 2016. The main purpose is to raise funds for improved sanitation in Papua New Guinea.

What we really need though is sponsors, so please do sponsor either a Board member or the team on a per km basis. You can sponsor our challenge here

We will be doing this as a relay made up of current Board members (others are welcome to join us if you desire). This will have the added personal benefit of working off any Christmas excesses.