Who is responsible for stormwater in Canterbury?
Stormwater management is shared between Environment Canterbury and Canterbury’s city and district councils.
Environment Canterbury’s role
As the regional environmental regulator, we manage the effects stormwater can have on the environment. We:
- set rules and standards for stormwater discharges
- issue and monitor resource consents
- monitor the effects of stormwater on waterways
- take action when consent conditions or environmental rules are not being followed.
City and district councils’ role
City and district councils provide and maintain local stormwater services. Depending on the area, this may include:
- underground stormwater pipes and drains
- open waterways and channels
- detention and retention basins
- stormwater treatment systems
- infrastructure that helps manage flooding in towns and cities.
Councils also work to reduce pollution entering stormwater networks and may treat stormwater before it reaches rivers, streams or the coast.
Contact your city or district council to report a blocked street drain, problems with stormwater infrastructure or flooding from the local stormwater network.
Water Services Reform
Under the Water Services Reforms, New Zealand’s council-owned water services will be transferred from local councils and combined into specialist water service entities. Their role will be to deliver services for:
- drinking water
- wastewater
- stormwater
Under the reforms, regional councils will still issue and monitor consents for stormwater discharges to the environment.
Taumata Arowai the new national drinking water services regulator, will have an oversight role in relation to stormwater. This will include establishing national standards, performance measures and targets to shine a light on the performance of certain stormwater networks.
Find out more: Local government water services and the Water Services Authority’s Authority’s stormwater role