Stormwater

A resource consent is required under Rule 50 of our Natural Resources Plan, for the discharge stormwater from a new urban development or new/redeveloped state highway associated with earthworks over a total area of 3000m2. A resource consent is also required under Rule 54, for the discharge of stormwater from any existing ports and airports.  

Rules 52 and 53 of the Natural Resources Plan aim to achieve a progressive reduction in the in the negative effects of stormwater discharges from local authority and state highway networks to fresh and coastal water. This is to be achieved through two stages:  

• Stage One is to gather information about the effects of stormwater discharges over five years,  
• Stage Two is implementing a longer term action plan to achieve progressive improvements.

The framework includes a ‘global’ approach to managing stormwater discharges, meaning that discharges are considered and managed in a holistic way (ie, across a city or district).

For further assistance, or to set up a pre-application meeting, call 0800 493 734. You can also access forms at our forms and information requirements webpage. 

Under Proposed Plan Change 1 (PDF 53 MB) there are some new rules relating to stormwater discharges that in the Te Awarua-o-Porirua catchment and Te Whanganui-a-Tara catchment. In summary these include:

• New rules relating to the use of land for the creation of new and/or redevelopment of impervious surfaces. This includes new requirements around stormwater treatment to improve water quality and providing hydrological control to manage the ecological impacts of stormwater flows.  
• New requirements for network discharges to achieve copper and zinc reductions. 

A Stormwater Rules Flowchart (PDF 67 KB)   helps guide the applicable rules for stormwater activities in Te Awarua-o-Porirua & Te Whanganui-a-Tara.

These changes have legal effect – we recommend that you contact us at notifications@gw.govt.nz to discuss how our stormwater rules in these areas may affect your activity.

For further assistance, or to set up a pre-application meeting, call 0800 493 734. You can also access forms at our forms and information requirements webpage. 

The Stage One stormwater consents for City and District Council networks held in the Wellington region and outlined below: 

All Stage One consents include a Stormwater Monitoring Plan which guides the collection of information over the five year duration of the consent. After five years of monitoring the monitoring data will be used to develop a Stormwater Management Strategy. This forms the basis of the Stage Two consents.  

At the present time a Hydrological Control Guidance is currently under development and will be publicly available in due course