Invercargill local government meeting

17 October 2005

National Environmental Standards

The challenge is effective liaison between various councils. For example, one council is providing drinking water from a neighbouring catchment and the treatment plant is managed by a different council. It needs a good communication plan to work.
Land intensification results in the deterioration of waterways. It is difficult to plan for water treatment plant upgrades.
Does industry monitor the Clean Streams Accord? Regional councils monitor outcomes of discharge to streams. Is the Standard for onsite water treatment coming? This is a big issue for Invercargill especially when managing septic tanks. One big residential area in Invercargill is not connected to the sewerage system. Some resource consents demand the contractor to be named to counteract the problems.
New methods and technologies are needed for reticulation. For example - What do we do when there is a hard clay pan on the bottom of the tank?
Invercargill has an associated water supply problem (irrigation). Water is scarce and early warning systems are hard to monitor. We have no good emergency plans in place at the moment. The National Environmental Standards will possibly give a higher priority to this issue.
Drinking water off the roof is sometimes undrinkable (pathogens).
People pay on average $108 a year in Invercargill for water. The plan is to supply a 15,000 cubic metre groundwater system for emergencies that develop.

A waste reference group in Canterbury has compiled arguments for and against the contaminated land National Environmental Standards. Regional councils are not happy about the consultation process and the levels.
The council is liable if it does not put contamination information on the Land Information Memorandum (LIM). A joint management protocol is needed between regional councils and territorial local authorities as a baseline of contaminated land information.

Coal fired and multi-fuel base heating is used most in Invercargill. The question is how wood burners are run, even if the standard wood burner is used. We need to change from open fires and most of them are in the poorer neighbourhoods.
Central government needs to make subsidies available to make the shift from ineffective heating and improper insulation to efficient heating and insulated houses. There is only a slight awareness about this in the community.
The national campaign will focus on the ‘water issues’ for the next few years, so our local campaign on heating homes will possibly be more effective.
The feedback, Heating and Home Fair is a great opportunity for obtaining information. It is organised by the Environment Southland Regional Council and will be held in May next year.

There is a need for the ability to require a waste minimisation plan as a consent condition, particularly for developers.
Education is needed for waste minimisation, such as the correct disposal of waste through sending waste to the correct site. For example, in Southland construction and demolition waste is going to landfill and not cleanfill.
Waste minimisation programmes for small businesses are important, particularly for many small industries in Southland.
Guidance and legislation are needed for meeting the New Zealand Waste Strategy targets. There may be significant cost implications in meeting targets.
On Stewart Island the costs of waste recovery and recycling are very high as a result of its isolation. Stewart Island can be used as a case study of a sustainable community.

Environment Southland has been involved in the agrichemical programme and is pleased with its progress so far.
The Regional Waste Officers Forum was asked for its input into the ‘Contaminated Land National Environmental Standard’ discussion document. The Forum’s comments have been largely ignored in the document. The Regional Waste Officers Forum has a lot of expertise and skill in this area and its comments should have been included.
Partnering with industry programmes is important and could be beneficial.
The coastal policy statement should address coastal development (e.g. in Southland).

Last updated: 17 September 2007