Joint submission by Federated Farmers and Beef & Lamb NZ on the National Environmental Standards for Sources of Human Drinking Water
Federated Farmers and Beef + Lamb NZ have made a submission to the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) on their proposed changes to the Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Sources of Human Drinking Water) Regulations 2007 (NES-DW) as part of the Three Waters Reform.
The Water Services Act 2020 places obligations on drinking water suppliers, whereas the proposed changes to the NES-DW, that this submission is focused on, will place restrictions that apply to all land users in the vicinity of a drinking water source (regardless of whether they are a drinking water supplier or not).
These drinking water sources will have differing levels of protection depending on which one of the 4 "source water risk management areas" it is categorised as, ranging from local level to catchment level.
Our submission strongly oppses the proposed changes focusing on the three following broad categories:
- A risk based approach to restricting activities in the vacinity of drinking water sources is required
- Any restrictions required in the vacinity of drinking water sources should be left to regional councils to decide, in consultation with the community.
- The proposed changes are not required.
A copy of the full submisison can be found to the right.