Council adopts Water Supply Bylaw 2019

Today the Tauranga City Mayor and Councillors adopted the Water Supply Bylaw 2019.
The Water Supply Bylaw sets rules for accessing and using Council's water supply, protecting the water supply network and responsibilities for maintenance and repair.

The updated bylaw will come into force on 22 April 2019 and replaces the Supply of Water Bylaw 2007. The key changes in the new bylaw are:

  • Addition of a section that specifies all the situations where people need to apply for Council approval;
  • Clarification of the ‘Point of Supply' and ‘Points of Responsibility' to clarify the boundary of responsibility between customers and Council;
  • Requirement for customers to install a backflow prevention device and for customers to inform Council of any activities that may contribute to the risk of backflow and cross connection;
  • Requirement for Council to be notified before particular types of works are carried out at set distances to the water supply network;
  • Clarification of Council's ability to put in place water restrictions; and
  • removing how water use will be estimated when the water meter is unable to record water use. The new Water Meter Policy will set out this process

Last month, on 19 March 2019, Council's Policy Committee adopted two new policies that relate to the bylaw: the Water Meter Policy and the Large Water Users Policy.

As a result of community feedback, small amendments to clarify the intent of both of these policies were made. Public consultation ran between 30 October and 30 November 2019.

The Water Meter Policy sets out responsibilities for managing water meters and states how water is metered when a meter isn't functional.

The Large Water Users Policy sets out Council's priorities for allocating water. Under the policy, anyone applying to use over 15m3 of water a day will be assessed on a range of factors, to determine if the activity is an efficient use of our water supply and wastewater services.

Both these new policies also take effect on the 22 April 2019.

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