Essential Freshwater - new national water rules

About the new rules

The Hawke’s Bay community values healthy waterways for recreation, drinking water, mahinga kai, ecological health and to support industries such as farming and tourism.

The Essential Freshwater package is made up of several policy documents and regulations that requires landowners, farmers and communities to put the health of our waterways first. The new national rules in the National Environmental Standard for Freshwater  and regulations will provide certainty and clarity for our communities. We will need to work together to achieve the improvements we all want to see. Achieving healthy waterways for Hawke’s Bay is everyone’s responsibility.

At Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, we are responsible for implementing the new regulations and rules, and monitoring compliance. We will work alongside the region’s rural landowners and our urban residents to provide information and support as the new rules roll out.

We are already underway with a work programme to implement the new Essential Freshwater rules, including information about when each new rule will apply and what rural landowners will need to do. We are taking an “education first” approach to the implementation of these changes and working proactively with the community to ensure the understanding of new requirements and obligations.

Te Mana o te Wai

At the heart of the new Essential Freshwater regulations is the concept framework of Te Mana o te Wai.

Te Mana o te Wai recognises the vital importance of New Zealand’s freshwater, whose health is integral to the social, cultural, economic and environmental wellbeing of communities.

The Essential Freshwater regulations put the health and wellbeing of water before providing for human health needs, and then other uses.

Within our region

At Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, we are responsible for implementing the new regulations and rules, and monitoring compliance. We will work alongside the region’s rural landowners and our urban residents to provide information and support as the new rules roll out.

We are already underway with a work programme to implement the new Essential Freshwater rules, including information about when each new rule will apply and what rural landowners will need to do. We are taking an “education first” approach to the implementation of these changes and working proactively with the community to ensure the understanding of new requirements and obligations.

We're here to help

We know there are a lot of changes to take in and understand. We’re here to help.

If you would like more information about the new rules and how they might affect you please call 06 835 9200 and ask to speak to our consents team if it’s about whether you need a resource consent. You could also email Consentadvisor@hbrc.govt.nz. There’s more information about applying for a resource consent here.

Further information

Visit our Farmer’s Hub to find out more about the specific requirements under the Essential Freshwater package.