Proposed Local Waters Combined Bylaw

What we're proposing

Bylaws are local rules that govern how people live, work and play in a community. It’s one of Council’s responsibilities to create local bylaws to help us regulate the district.

We're proposing to have one combined bylaw covering all our local water services. Currently there are three different bylaws and no stormwater bylaw.

The proposed local waters bylaw aims to protect public health and safety, safeguard the environment, help Horowhenua District plan for future growth and ensure users pay for local water services.

Doing this is intended to make accessing comprehensive information easier for our community and those working with the water services. The proposed bylaw is separate from the Government’s own Local Waters process, but it does ensure our own rules are up-to-date and in a better form for whatever the future arrangements for delivering our local waters are.

The changes include:

• Combining three bylaws and added a fourth area – stormwater - into one bylaw
• Changing the four existing trade waste classifications to three to make it easier
• Introducing the requirement for all businesses operating at a trade premise to register with Council
• Updating the water metering section in response to the introduction of universal metering in Horowhenua
• Restructuring the bylaws so that elements common to each are in one place
• Updating definitions
• Clarifying matters where they appeared contradictory

Please see the Statement of Proposal and the Proposed Local Waters Combined Bylaw 2025 for the detailed and complete list of changes.

Statement of Proposal - Proposed Local Waters Combined Bylaw 2025
Proposed Local Waters Bylaw 2025

Legal framework

Section 155 of the Local Government Act 2002 requires Council to determine that the proposed bylaw:

• is the most appropriate way of addressing Public Places matters, section 155(1) of the Local Government Act 2002; and
• is the most appropriate form of bylaw, section 155(2)(a) of the Local Government Act 2002; and
• does not give rise to any implications under the New Zealand Bill of Rights 1990 (section 155(2)(b) of the Local Government Act 2002.

Making a good submission

To make a good submission, we encourage you to point to the particular areas of the proposed bylaw you're commenting on, letting us know why you do or do not support it, and what you think we should consider changing (if anything). Matters outside of the scope of the bylaw review aren’t able to be considered as part of this process. If you need help with making a submission, get in touch and we can assist you.