Development sites pose a risk to the environment as toxic materials like concrete, sediment, soils, cement and paint can be inadvertently washed into our stormwater network and harm aquatic life.
Managing your building site using effective controls and protecting drains from dirty (contaminated) water will help prevent stormwater pollution. Steps you can take include:
- Install sand socks in the kerb channel
- pump dirty water from your site into a tank, through a filtration device or onto suitable ground soakage
- take extreme care when cutting and laying concrete and exposing aggregate by setting up efficient slurry controls
- keep paints and thinners away from stormwater drains and use water-based paints wherever possible.
Council has publications available to download specifically for restaurant and food outlets, the marine and automotive industries, and recreational boaties to make everyone aware of their stormwater obligations.
For domestic stormwater pollution, you can learn more about prevention measures at home in this brochure:
Household pollution prevention brochure (2.8mb pdf)
Pollution prevention plans
Pollution Prevention Plans are requirement under the Stormwater (Pollution Prevention) Bylaw 2015 for high risk work areas/types.
Find out more about Pollution prevention plans
Stormwater pollution penalties
Causing water pollution is a serious offence under the Resource Management Act 1991 as it degrades our environment and could endanger public health. Pollution includes discharging industrial waste into our stormwater system and washing substances such as paint, soap and chemicals down roadside drains. Only rain should enter our stormwater drains – nothing else!
There are four main types of enforcement available:
- Council abatement notice – this is used to deal with urgent problems and requires the polluter to take immediate action. A fine can be issued with the notice if required.
- Environmental infringement notice – this is an instant fine ($750 for an individual and $1000 for a company) issued for doing something that is harming the environment.
- Environmental Court enforcement order – both councils and individuals can apply for an enforcement order. This occurs if the issue is ongoing and other measures have not worked.
- Environmental Court prosecution – individuals (including company employees, contractors, managers and agents) can be fined up to $300,000 and businesses up to $600,000. Continuing offences can be penalised at $10,000 per day, or up to two years in prison, depending on the severity of the environmental effects.