Stormwater Management Framework

Power to make decisions is shared by Council and tāngata whenua, with the support of the community.

Our role is to be guardians and stewards of our natural resources.

Our actions recognise, restore, enhance and protect the life of our rivers and seas.

We think and act holistically.  The well-being of the environment and the well-being of people is intricately connected.

We take an innovative and flexible approach to managing stormwater based on good historical, technical and cultural understanding.

Our communities are resilient and connected to their awa.

Stormwater is the run-off from rainfall through natural and urban pathways. Like drinking and wastewater, it needs to be managed well as it can have big impacts on our natural ecosystems and peoples’ health and cause destructive flooding.

Te Mana o Te Wai is central to the Government’s national direction on freshwater. This concept now governs all freshwater management decisions and activities by national, regional, and local authorities, requiring us to restore the health of freshwater, not just prevent it from getting worse.

Te Mana o te Wai refers to the vital importance of water. When managing freshwater, it ensures the health and well-being of the water is protected and human health needs are provided for before enabling other uses of water. It expresses the special connection all New Zealanders have with freshwater. By protecting the health and well-being of our freshwater we protect the health and well-being of our people and environments. Through engagement and discussion, regional councils, communities and tangata whenua will determine how Te Mana o te Wai is applied locally in freshwater management.

The proposed regional plan and central government direction both require us to do more to improve the water quality of our stormwater discharges. Our current (2008) strategy is more about managing water quantity, with a focus on flooding, sea level rise, and hydraulic neutrality (balancing the amount of water going into and out of the network).

An overarching framework will guide our local, regional and national stormwater management strategies and obligations.

We are currently advancing significant projects to deliver improved environmental outcomes and build capacity across our drinking water, wastewater and stormwater networks. $26.9 million was allocated in this year’s annual plan to support drinking water safety upgrades, improve our wastewater treatment infrastructure and address flood risks in our district.

The Framework does not propose any changes to Council’s planned stormwater capital works programme. This involves 240 stormwater improvement projects focused on existing stormwater issues, to be delivered over the next 37 years. Any changes to Council’s capital works programme or level of service would be consulted on through the Long-term or Annual Plan process.

There are several reasons why we’re pushing ahead with this critical work. We have traditionally invested heavily in our water management, security and infrastructure. This is a strategy that has served our community well. With our growing population and in the face of our changing climate, delaying or cancelling work is kicking the can down the road. We are committed to delivering the best outcomes for our community which means we can’t lose two years’ worth of work, especially as we don’t know how much of a priority Kāpiti infrastructure will be for the new entity.

There are also new and evolving standards we must continue to meet as a water supplier to remain compliant with Taumata Arowai, the water services regulator for Aotearoa New Zealand.

Continuing to plan for the future through projects like the Stormwater Management Framework and upgrade of the Waikanae Water Treatment Plant is our way of committing to and protecting the vision and aspirations of iwi and our community before we lose our ability to do so.

The Framework vision, values and outcomes were adopted by Council on 28 July 2022.

We are committed to working with our community as we continue to develop the Framework.   Specifically, opportunities for further engagement will include:

• Determination of acceptable risk levels for planning, floodplain management and safety purposes,
• A review of Council’s hydraulic neutrality policy and low impact urban design principles, and
• Catchment based objectives for water quality and action plans, including programmes of work.

The Kāpiti Whaitua committee will be established by Greater Wellington during 2022, and is made up of local community members, iwi representatives, local authority representatives, and Greater Wellington representatives.