Concerns about Lake Taupō pollution under proposed blanket national wastewater standards May 2025
RNZ 21st May, Libby Kirkby McLeod,-Reporter (abridged.)
In a submission to the Water Services Authority - Taumata Arowai, Waikato Regional Council said the standards could result in water quality loss across the region.
"Many existing municipal wastewater discharges have contaminant standards in their existing consents or current applications which are of higher quality than what the Standards would require. The Standards would undo significant work and investment already undertaken by territorial authorities and encouraged by the Council, in upgrading wastewater treatment plant discharges," the council said in its submission.
Waikato Regional Council's Mike Scarsbrook said it was like setting one speed limit for every road in the country - some might end up safer, but others would be made more dangerous.
"The challenge with having national standards is that some waterways that might need a greater level of protection aren't necessarily protected by those national standards," he said.
One area which needed higher than average standards was Lake Taupō.
The council asked that the new standards not impact the work that had been done to restore the lake, or override the Lake Taupō provisions of the Regional Plan.
"When we've looked at the current standards across the region, versus the proposed standards, there is quite a marked softening of the standards compared to what's in place already, including around Lake Taupō," Scarsbrook said.
Another concern for the council was that the proposed standards would conflict with existing Treaty Settlement obligations.
In its submission, the regional council recommended the Water Services Authority clarified the relationship between the wastewater standards and Treaty Settlement obligations including Te Ture Whaimana.
Tūrangi Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade completed May 2025