E. coli is a bacteria commonly found in the guts of warm-blooded mammals and birds High E. coli levels can indicate the presence of bacteria and viruses that can cause serious gastro-intestinal illness and skin irritations. Many of our rivers and streams are affected by high levels of E. coli.

Feedback

Community generally supported the draft 2035 E. coli targets, and they supported the setting of long-term aspirational targets beyond 30 years. Many considered the proposed approach realistic given the scale of change required.

Those who opposed the draft approach generally did so on the basis that the approach was either too aspirational or unrealistic, or that the approach did not move fast enough to protect threatened species and ecosystems.

Dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP), ammonia and nitrate are nutrients important for aquatic plants and algae growth. Only small amounts of these nutrients are required for healthy ecosystem function too much can cause excessive plant and algae growth, reducing oxygen levels, which in extreme cases can kill fish.

Feedback

The majority of community responses supported the draft targets for nitrate, ammonia and Phosphorous. The reasons for disagreement fell into two main areas:

1. Seeking a stronger approach where responders did not consider the targets aspirational enough or were not being achieved within a short enough timeframe,
2. Those seeking a softer approach noting concerns with achieving the draft targets by 2055.

Sediment is soil, sand or gravel that has entered waterways as a result of erosion. In excessive amounts, suspended fine sediment can negatively affect water quality and the health of aquatic ecosystems. Many of our rivers and streams are affected by sediment.

Feedback

The feedback on the draft targets for suspended fine sediment in freshwater by 2055 varied widely across community, industry and environmental groups. The majority of supporters generally agreed that the proposed 30-year timeframe was reasonable, with an emphasis on continuous improvement and accountability. However, some felt the draft targets lacked ambition, particularly in areas of cultural significance, calling for more stringent and immediate actions to be taken.

Industry representatives, particularly from rural sectors, raised concerns about the feasibility of achieving the draft targets within the proposed timeframe and highlighted the significant economic costs involved for implementing additional mitigation strategies to meet the draft targets.

Taranaki has enough freshwater to meet our needs, but in some areas too much water is being taken from rivers and streams.

Feedback

There was strong support within the community for a new approach that managed rivers and streams by size. Most of the community also supported scenario 3, the Council’s recommended approach, which was designed to improve freshwater outcomes and provide a high level of water supply security. Scenario 3 includes 90% species protection and allocations of mean annual low flow (MALF) based on river size to provide greater protection to smaller, more vulnerable rivers and streams.

The community also supported the requirement for more information to be collected on permitted water takes and the options that the Council provided to help reduce over allocated catchments. Of the four options consulted on reducing water allocation, efficient water use, storage and high flow harvesting were the most popular.

The consultation highlighted varying levels of adoption across different farm practices. For example, practices like poplar planting and the use of feHed pads, herd homes and stand-off areas received mixed responses. Key challenges identified included land suitability, vulnerability to weather events, initial investment costs, livestock behaviour and effluent management.

In contrast, there was widespread adoption of practices such as using plantain and clover in pasture, bridging stock crossing points, deferring effluent irrigation for optimal soil conditions, retiring of unsuitable grazing land, riparian planting and redirecting bridge and track runoff away from waterbodies. Additionally, practices such as fencing off critical source areas, using sediment traps, retention ponds and bunds, and minimising use of intensive winter grazing were also adopted, although with fewer respondents.

Across the board similar challenges where identified, including high resource and labour costs, loss of productive land, ongoing maintenance, economic constraints and complexities of resource consent processes.

Animal effluent can have significant impacts on water quality if not well managed.

Feedback

There was support for phasing out direct discharges of effluent to water with most people supporting a staged transition. Of the other questions asked, most people agreed with:

• Managing effluent based on whether it was solid or liquid, rather than based on the animal species producing the effluent.
• Allowing some small animal effluent discharges to land without resource consent.
• Applying Engineering NZ’s Practice Notes 21 and 27 to the design of new effluent management systems.
• Requiring visual inspections and management plans for existing systems.

Most of the dairy farming respondents thought it was fine to use DESC (Dairy Effluent Storage Calculator) to determine effluent pond size. There were some concerns expressed about applying DESC to new and existing systems. The main concerns about using DESC related to cost, timelines for change and the fairness of applying new rules respectively to existing systems.

Discharges need to be managed to help protect people and the environment.

Feedback

The community generally supported the proposed framework to manage reticulated networks by volume, type and location and industrial and trade stormwater dependant on the level of risk.

The majority of the community agreed that the Council should retain the current approach for managing industrial and trade wastewater, as it was considered to be still fit for purpose.

For phasing out wastewater treatment plant discharges to freshwater, a majority of respondents preferred a staged transition, citing the need for a gradual approach to manage costs and provide time for necessary upgrades. District councils were supportive of an individual transition, they also stated that disposal to land is not always suitable everywhere in Taranaki.

Most respondents supported managing existing septic tanks through a controlled consenting pathway. For pit latrines and composting toilets a significant portion of respondents favoured a permitted pathway.

Earthworks refers to activities like excavation, drilling, contouring, blading, filling and earth movement, which manipulate soil and land. If not well managed this can have significant impacts on freshwater and aquatic habitats.

Feedback

Feedback was generally supportive of introducing a management approach for earthworks, however there were concerns expressed in relation to the detail of the proposed approach. The majority of responses, particularly from rural community members raised concerns about what activities would be considered ‘earthworks’ and subject to the proposed management approach.

A large number of responses also considered the threshold of 2,500m² per site in any consecutive 12-month period to be too stringent and not workable.