Kaitoke Weir Consent Variation - officer's report

An application to vary a resource consent for taking water from the Hutt River should be granted subject to rigorous monitoring and management conditions, according to Greater Wellington Environmental Regulation officer’s report.

Greater Wellington’s Utilities and Services Group has applied to vary its resource consent to to reduce the minimum permitted flow in the Hutt River below the Kaitoke Weir for a period of three years, while the Stuart Macaskill water storage lakes at Te Marua are seismically strengthened.

Under current consent conditions it must cease taking water when the flow over the Kaitoke Weir drops to 600 litres per second. This change would allow water to be taken until the flow over the weir drops to 400 litres/second.

The additional water could be required to enable the bulk water supply system to provide adequate water to meet public demand, particularly in a warm, dry summer.

In line with conditions proposed by the applicant, the officer’s report recommends a monitoring plan, with regular monitoring of water quality, aquatic animals and cyanobacteria (potentially toxic blue-green algae) in the Hutt River, and appropriate actions developed to respond to any adverse effects identified through monitoring.

The officer’s report also endorses the Hutt River low flow management plan proposed by the applicant. This outlines actions to reduce water demand, maximise the use of alternative sources, and to monitor the river ecology at times of reduced flow in the river.

In addition, the officer’s report recommends that field studies be undertaken in the Hutt River Gorge area on the first occasion flow is reduced to 400 litres/second over the Kaitoke Weir, to confirm that there are no adverse effects on fish movement.

The officer’s report is not a decision but rather a recommendation to the independent hearing panel which will consider the application on June 9 and 10. The hearing panel, comprised of Christine Foster, Ian Boothroyd and Elizabeth Burge will also consider evidence provided at the hearing by the applicant and its experts, and submitters.

“The recommended consent conditions in our view will ensure that any actual and potential adverse effects of the reduction in the minimum flow can be avoided, remedied or mitigated, while enabling the applicant to maintain a secure supply of drinking water for Wellington, Porirua and the Hutt cities,” said Greater Wellington Environment Regulation Manager Alistair Cross.

“The reduction in minimum flow is for a short term and the changes will only be exercised at times when certain climatic conditions prevail during the three years”.

“Importantly, if the application is approved by the hearing panel these more rigorous monitoring and management conditions would remain in place after the three year period of the consent variation finishes and until the resource consent itself expires in 2036.”

For the full officer’s report see

For more information about the consent process and for background reports see http://www.gw.govt.nz/notified-resource-consent-27/ and http://www.gw.govt.nz/kaitoke-consent/