Water metering

We value our freshwater for drinking, recreation, cultural use, and farming, as well as to provide a healthy aquatic habitat within waterways. By measuring and managing water takes, we can look after these resources in a way that protects the environment while sustaining the local economy.

Under the new government regulations, if you take more than five litres of water per second (l/s), you must measure and record how much water you take in each 15-minute period and report this data back to us daily.

Changes to water metering rules

The Measurement and Reporting of Water Takes Amendment Regulations 2010 were updated in 2020 with new rules on how water users need to report back to regional government.

Many resource consent holders already submit water use data to us. The new regulations will mean they have to measure and report this data more frequently i.e. from annual reporting to daily reporting.

The dates the new rules come into effect varies based on how much water you take:

• 3 September 2022 - If your rate of take is 20 l/s or greater.
• 3 September 2024 - If your rate of take is 10 l/s or greater, but less than 20 l/s.
• 3 September 2026 - If your rate of take is 5 l/s or greater, but less than 10 l/s

Installing a telemetry device

To meet the reporting requirements, you will need to install a logger device that is capable of measuring your water use every 15 minutes every day, and a communication device typically telemetered to ensure automatic daily transfer of data to council.

Typically, water meters installed since 2010 should be compatible with telemetry devices. These devices need to be installed by an approved supplier. You can find a list of suppliers on the Irrigation NZ website at: irrigationnz.co.nz

Making the change to how you report water use data

If your water use data is currently being reported to us on an annual basis, you will need to ensure that your use is reported daily. A data host can maintain the data services for you – they ensure that the recorded data is being transferred to council daily. You can find a data host on the Irrigation NZ website, some providers can both install the logger and maintain data for you. Visit www.irrigationnz.co.nz/accreditation

Although your data host can submit your water use data on your behalf, it is still your responsibility, as the consent holder, to ensure this happens.

Your data host will need to contact our Data Team via [email protected] to receive instructions on how to transmit the data to council.

Applying for exceptions

While the requirement is for daily reporting, you can apply to council for a longer reporting timeframe as an exception may be granted in very limited cases.

You can also apply to have the recording device located away from where the water is taken, but it needs to be located as near as practicable to the location from where the water is taken.

The council has discretion whether to grant approval or not and it can be revoked.

Need help?

Please contact us if you need any specific information about the new Essential Freshwater regulations and the Regional Plan rules on water metering.