The Otago Regional Council has been given a serve by Environment Minister Penny Simmonds for continual delays in revealing the costs of its proposed Land and Water Regional Plan.
The plan, which is being progressed under freshwater management regulations that the government is about to rewrite, has been roundly criticised by farming groups and district councils.
They are angered by policies prohibiting the mixing of water between waterways, 5m fencing setbacks from waterways and prioritising discharge to land over water.
Council chair Gretchen Robertson said this criticism is premature as final decisions have not been made and the council is still open to submissions.
Robertson said some district and city councils have calculated the cost of the proposed Land and Water Regional Plan (LWRP), but an economic impact report, required by the Resource Management Act, is being done.
The Clutha District Council has calculated the cost of upgrading its water infrastructure at $611 million and the Central Otago District Council $110m for upgrading Alexandra and Clyde alone.
In a letter to Robertson, Simmonds requests detailed costs of the proposed LWRP and its impact on ratepayers once the National Policy Statement on Freshwater has been reviewed and replaced.
“Given I specifically requested information on the costs I would have expected such information to have been made available to me,” the minister writes.
“I also expect it to be made available to Otago ratepayers.”
Otago Federated Farmers president Luke Kane described the minister’s letter as a strong directive, noting it is not the first she has sent.
Kane said once the LWRP is notified the only way to make changes is through the courts.
“This seems to be a giant waste of money for the sake of six to nine months, when the new policy comes out.”
He described the debate as destructive.
The plan as proposed restricts the mixing of water between water bodies. While not banned, such practices will be phased out.
Kane said this is the council’s interpretation of Te Mana o Te Wai, the freshwater quality element of current regulations that are being reviewed.
Robertson said the draft policy limits future cross mixing of water as does the current regional water plan.
A proposed 5m fencing for livestock, except sheep, on waterways 1m in width, will require existing fences that are closer than 5m to be moved.
The original proposal was for 10m fencing setbacks.
Kane described this as policy by the stroke of a pen that lacks supporting evidence justifying why fences should be set back 5m.
The policy also favours discharges of treated wastewater to land but Robertson said it acknowledges the practicality of discharging to water when land discharge is not feasible.
“New systems will be held to higher standards.”
She said the council’s 20-year-old current land and water plan is not fit for purpose, a point noted by an independent investigation.
She said the council is following the government’s directive and has been working on a replacement plan for five years
The government has told councils they have until 2027 to notify their plans which will include changes it intends making to the National Policy Statement on Freshwater.
