Wastewater

These pages predominantly refer to domestic wastewater.

For more definitions, please refer to the Wastewater Definitions page.

Field and Fenceline

Under the Resource Management Act (1991), the ARC is responsible for managing the discharge of contaminants to land and to water within the Auckland Region.

The on-site treatment and discharge of wastewater is commonly undertaken throughout the region in areas without network wastewater servicing.

Discharges, including the land application of treated wastewater, are the subject of Chapter 5 of the Proposed Auckland Regional Plan.

Proposed Auckland Regional Plan: Air, Land and Water (PARP:ALW) (2005)

Wastewater objectives

• Ensure that wastewater is discharged in a manner that protects the environment and public health
• Monitor the quality and quantity of wastewater discharge, how it is discharged and the characteristics of the receiving environment.
  

Do I need a wastewater permit?

In order to discharge wastewater without a consent you will need to meet the criteria of one of the Permitted Activity Rules.

Where a discharge of domestic wastewater is doesn't meet these rules a wastewater discharge permit is required.

You can refer to the onsite disposal of domestic wastewater flow chart for guidance on which wastewater rule applies.

Onsite wastewater disposal

For land disposal of domestic wastewater via onsite systems, the rules specify the wastewater system must be designed in accordance with Technical Publication 58 (TP58) (2004) guidelines.

For new subdivisions, the use of Decentralised Wastewater Treatment Systems should be considered.

The discharge of other contaminants to land is also administered by the ARC.