Government commitments on water storage have been partly addressed by the introduction of the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 and Building (Dam Safety) Amendment Regulations 2024. These developments have made it easier to build water infrastructure of regional and national significance, as well as reducing some regulatory requirements for smaller-scale, on-farm water storage.
We are consulting on whether to develop new national standards that permit the construction of off-stream water storage. These could be progressed under the RMA or the new resource management system.
Off-stream water storage (such as storage ponds on farms) is likely to have a minor environmental impact, compared with damming waterways for in-stream water storage. The new standards would manage effects and permit off-stream water storage.
Appendix 2 provides draft standards that identify the range of matters that might be subject to standards for off-stream water storage. These standards have been prepared in discussion with regional council staff and primary sector industry experts. They are based on regional rules and focus on environmental effects to avoid duplication of Building Act 2004 requirements. They are not intended to propose specific wording for the standards. Rather, the draft standards are a starting point for discussion and feedback on the matters (both qualitative and quantitative) that these standards could address.
Freshwater allocation is outside the scope of this discussion document. Although water take and use, and the duration of associated consents, are relevant to building water storage and security of supply, these issues will be addressed as part of upcoming replacement legislation for the RMA.
For further information on this topic, refer to the impact analysis document entitled Interim Regulatory Impact Statement: Water security and water storage.
