Rules for operating an OWMS

Permitted Activity rules for on-site wastewater management systems

A resource consent is required for your on-site wastewater system, unless you can comply with the Permitted Activity rules in the Canterbury Land and Water Regional Plan. These rules apply to any existing, modified, upgraded or new system.

When determining whether your system requires a resource consent, it is important that you clearly understand the specific requirements of these Permitted Activity rules. If you have any questions on how to interpret these, please seek advice.

Rule 5.7: Permitted Activity rules for existing systems

If your existing system complies with the conditions below, then you are not required to apply for a resource consent or upgrade your system. If you are unable to comply with all of these conditions or you have made changes to the system or your dwelling, then a resource consent is likely to be required.

Rule 5.7 sets out all conditions that must be met for discharges from existing systems to be permitted without the need for a resource consent. In summary:

  1. The discharge was lawfully established before 1 November 2013.
  2. The treatment and disposal system has not been altered or modified since it was constructed other than through routine maintenance.
  3. The volume of the discharge had not been increased from the addition of buildings or a change in use of a building that is connected to the system.
  4. The treatment and disposal system is operated and maintained in accordance with system’s design specification for maintenance or, if there is none, Section 6.3 of the New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 1547:2012 – On-site Domestic Wastewater Management.
  5. The discharge is not onto or into land:
    (a) where a sewage network is available
    (b) that is listed as an archaeological site
    (c) where the discharge would enter any surface water body
    (d) within 20 m of a surface waterbody or the Coastal Marine Area 
    (e) within 50 m of a bore used for water abstraction 
    (f) within a Community Drinking Water Protection Zone
    (g) where, at any time, there is less than one metre vertical separation between the discharge point and groundwater.
  6. The discharge does not result in wastewater being visible on the ground surface.
  7. The discharge doesn’t contain any hazardous substance.

Rule 5.8: Permitted Activity rules for new, modified or upgraded systems

If you have modified or upgraded your system in any way, or you are installing a new system, it must comply with these conditions to be considered as a Permitted Activity.

Rule 5.8 sets out all conditions that must be met for discharges from new, modified or upgrades systems to be permitted without the needs for a resource consent. In summary:

  1. The discharge volume does not exceed two cubic metres per day.
  2. The discharge is onto or into a site that is 4 ha or more in area.
  3. The discharge is not located in an area where the residential density exceeds 1.5 dwellings per hectare and the total population is greater than 1000 persons.
  4. The discharge is not onto or into land:
    (a) where there is an available sewerage network.
    (b) that is contaminated or potentially contaminated. 
    (c) that is listed as an archaeological site.
    (d) in circumstances where the discharge would enter any surface waterbody.
    (e) within 20 m of any surface waterbody or the Coastal Marine Area. 
    (f) within 50 m of a bore used for water abstraction.
    (g) within a Community Drinking-water Protection Zone.
    (h) where there is, at any time, less than one metre of vertical separation between the discharge point and groundwater.
  5. The treatment and disposal system is designed and installed in accordance with Sections 5 and 6 of New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 1547:2012 – On-site Domestic Wastewater Management.
  6. The treatment and disposal system is operated and maintained in accordance with the system’s design specification for maintenance or, if there is no design specification for maintenance, Section 6.3 of New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 1547:2012 – On-site Domestic Wastewater Management.
  7. The discharge does not result in wastewater being visible on the ground surface.
  8. The discharge does not contain any hazardous substance.

Obtaining resource consent for an on-site wastewater management system (OWMS)

If your on-site wastewater system does not meet the Permitted Activity rules 5.7 and 5.8 (see above), you will need to apply for a resource consent to discharge wastewater to land at your property. Your resource consent application will need to show that your planned OWMS will not negatively impact water quality.

As part of your resource consent application, you will need to show that you are installing the right system for your site. You will also need to explain how it will protect local water quality and cultural values, and ensure safe drinking water for neighbours. In some cases, a higher level of treatment may be required. This may increase the cost of your system, but it will provide a better environmental outcome for your property and neighbouring waterbodies.

Applying for resource consent

Your resource consent application will require you to complete an Application Form (PDF File, 528.11KB). This will provide us with details about your property, your dwelling and the system you are installing.

Your application form will include an Assessment of Environmental Effects, which will give us further details about the environment surrounding your property and how your chosen system will reduce the impact of a wastewater discharge at this site

In addition to the Application Form, a planning assessment is required.

You can complete these yourself, however, they require technical knowledge of the system and the environment. For this reason, your wastewater installer will often complete the application on your behalf, or provide support in completing it.

For more information on the environmental standards for new septic tanks, see our December 2021 guidance.

On-site wastewater applications have an initial fixed fee which typically covers processing costs. This fee is based on an estimate of an average wastewater application. It may be subjected to additional charges if processing of the application exceeds the initial fixed fee. Please refer to the link below for the application fee. Download the current fees and charges policy (PDF File 969.08K)

Once we have received your application, it will be assigned to an officer who will check the application for completeness before carrying out an audit and determining whether a grant decision can be made. This process may take up to 20 working days.

Resource consents include an expiry date. If you want to continue the activity after the expiry date, you should apply for a new consent at least six months before that date.

For more information about obtaining a resource consent, see the consents section of our website.

 

Last updated:

Back to top